Joyful news is emerging regarding Hungary–US relations, which suffered significant damage under former US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman. On Monday Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó received US Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Robert Palladino in a long-anticipated meeting, while political director to the Hungarian Prime Minister Balázs Orbán met with Palladino on Tuesday.
‘A new era has begun,’ Szijjártó wrote in a post on X after the meeting, adding that Hungary–US relations are back on track and once again rooted in mutual respect. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade emphasized Hungary’s full support for US President Donald Trump’s efforts to bring peace to the war-ravaged region bordering the European Union. ‘If he can’t end the war in Ukraine, no one can,’ he noted. Szijjártó also underlined that he and Palladino agreed to build on the ‘great potential in our economic and energy ties.’
Palladino echoed the sentiment in his own post, expressing that he looks forward to strengthening bilateral relations and working together to enhance prosperity and security for both nations.
The interim head of the US Embassy in Budapest was also present during Szijjártó’s earlier meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. In that high-level discussion, the two top diplomats focused primarily on reversing punitive measures introduced under the Biden administration. These included the termination of the double taxation treaty between the two countries and sanctions on senior Hungarian officials, such as Antal Rogán, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. ‘There is absolutely 100 per cent openness in the current administration to reviewing and repealing the retaliatory measures taken during the Biden administration,’ Szijjártó stressed at the time.
Following Monday’s meeting with Szijjártó, Palladino met with Balázs Orbán on Tuesday. In a post shared on X, he said they had discussed joint efforts to deliver results for both the American and Hungarian people, concluding that ‘great collaboration opportunities abound.’
Hungary has eagerly awaited Donald Trump’s return to the presidency since his 20 January inauguration. Under the Biden administration, bilateral relations had deteriorated to historic lows, in large part due to David Pressman’s controversial tenure. Pressman routinely criticized the Hungarian government, describing its governance as authoritarian and taking issue with its positions on the war in Ukraine and progressive social policies. His tenure was also marked by support for the Hungarian opposition and US taxpayer-funded social media campaigns aimed at undermining Orbán’s government.
Even after leaving his post in January, Pressman has continued his media campaign against Hungary, appearing in outlets such as The New York Times, CNN, and NPR to portray the country in a negative light.
With Palladino’s arrival, Hungary–US relations appear to be regaining stability. It remains unclear, however, who will permanently succeed Pressman. As Hungarian Conservative reported in November 2024, three candidates are in the running: former ambassadors Nancy Brinker and David Cornstein, and political analyst Bryan E Leib, a senior fellow at the Center for Fundamental Rights. Leib recently visited Budapest, met with high-level officials, and is scheduled to return soon to speak at a conference focusing on President Trump’s foreign policy achievements.
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