Rubio Signs Civil Nuclear Energy Deal With Hungary

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto on Feb. 16 signed an agreement on civilian nuclear cooperation that includes the possibility that Hungary will purchase compact nuclear reactors.

Rubio signed the U.S.–Hungary Civil Nuclear Intergovernmental Agreement, which “will deliver decades of cooperation in nuclear energy” between the United States and Hungary, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

The State Department said the agreement underscores the United States’ commitment to making Hungary a hub for developing regional compact nuclear reactors—known as small modular reactors—and encourages the Central European country to choose U.S. small modular reactor technology.

Szijjarto shared a photograph on X of him and Rubio signing the agreement in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, writing, “The deal strengthens Hungary’s energy security and contributes to keeping energy prices for Hungarian households and industry among the lowest in the long term.”

Rubio’s visit to Hungary followed a trip to Slovakia on Feb. 15, during which he met with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Slovakia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs wrote in a post on X on Feb. 16 that Rubio met with the Slovak leaders to discuss bilateral cooperation, including on nuclear energy and energy security.

On Jan. 16, Slovakia signed a deal with the United States on nuclear cooperation.

The U.S. State Department said in the same statement that implementation of the U.S.–Slovakia Intergovernmental agreement signed last month “will begin with U.S. funding to jumpstart the vitally important preconstruction phase—Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study—for a new Westinghouse large reactor build.”

The department said the FEED work will be carried out under its Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology Program, which it said helps countries build safe and secure nuclear energy programs.

The State Department said these agreements deliver on President Donald Trump’s executive order titled “Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security,” representing more than $15 billion in business opportunities for U.S. vendors and “thousands of jobs for U.S. workers.”

“The United States is committed to supporting the national security objectives of friends and allies using innovative nuclear energy technologies that draw on 70 years of U.S. global leadership in nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation,” the State Department said.

The agreements could help Hungary and Slovakia with transitioning their energy supplies.

Hungary and Slovakia—both landlocked countries—rely on Russian oil and gas, and last month, they voted against formalizing a ban in the European Union to phase out the import of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas.

Budapest and Bratislava maintain closer ties with Moscow than the rest of the bloc and have defended their continued purchase of Russian energy, saying alternatives are too expensive.

Rubio Meets With Orban

Rubio also met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is campaigning to be elected to his fifth consecutive term in office in April.

Orban is one of the EU’s most vocal supporters of Trump, and Rubio emphasized the close ties between the United States and Hungary.

“The prime minister and the president have a very, very close personal relationship and working relationship, and I think it has been beneficial to our two countries,” the U.S. secretary of state said at a press conference in Budapest.

“That person-to-person connection that you’ve established with the president has made all the difference in the world in building this relationship,” Rubio added, addressing Orban.

“President Trump is deeply committed to your success because your success is our success.”

Trump on Feb. 13 posted an endorsement of Orban on Truth Social, calling him a “truly strong and powerful Leader, with a proven track record of delivering phenomenal results.”

“I was proud to ENDORSE Viktor for Re-Election in 2022, and am honored to do so again,” Trump wrote. “Viktor Orbán is a true friend, fighter, and WINNER, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Hungary — HE WILL NEVER LET THE GREAT PEOPLE OF HUNGARY DOWN!”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.