US Reverses Course on Hungary; Pledges to Review Sanctions, Strengthen Ties
The US has committed to reassessing sanctions imposed on Hungary during the Biden administration, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. Following a phone conversation with newly appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Szijjarto announced that Washington is dedicated to rebuilding political ties with Budapest.
Szijjarto revealed on Facebook that Rubio promised to review previous measures taken against Hungary and expressed a shared position on important issues between the new US administration and the Hungarian government. The minister described their conversation as “extremely good,” predicting a “new golden age in Hungarian-American political relations.”
The Biden administration had imposed various restrictions on Hungary, including terminating a bilateral tax agreement and tightening entry rules for Hungarians. Budapest interpreted these actions as attempts to pressure the country into weakening its ties with Russia and China.
Most recently, in December 2023, the US sanctioned Antal Rogan, chief of staff for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, citing alleged corruption. Orban dismissed the sanctions as “petty revenge.”
Szijjarto’s announcement comes amid a broader shift in Hungary’s foreign policy under Orban. The prime minister has called for a reassessment of EU sanctions against Russia and suggested linking Hungary’s stance on sanctions to the resumption of Russian gas transit to the EU via Ukraine.
Orban has urged leaders to “throw sanctions out the window” and establish “sanction-free relationships with Russia.” He previously stated that he would not commit to extending sanctions against Moscow without discussing the issue with former US President Donald Trump.