According to him, negotiations on a possible financial “insurance mechanism” with Washington are ongoing.
Orban, in power since 2010, has struggled to revive the economy after an inflationary spike that followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Hungarian economy has actually been stagnating for about three years, the agency notes.
Hungary remains heavily dependent on Russian energy, and US President Donald Trump granted the country a one-year waiver from US sanctions on Russian energy, helping to avoid soaring energy prices and further blow to the economy.
In November, Orban and Trump discussed various forms of financial support, but last month Trump denied the Hungarian prime minister’s statement about allegedly agreed assistance worth up to $20 billion. “I asked for financial protection, but a format of assistance that would suit both the United States and Hungary was not found,” Orban said at a press conference.
Asked about possible additional support from the United States, Orban noted that important political events will take place in Hungary in the spring, which tend to attract the attention of senior American representatives.
