A delegation of five Republican US senators expressed concern over Hungary’s growing ties with Russia and China following a visit to the country, the US Ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, said on 5 October.
Senators Jerry Moran, John Boozman, Susan Collins, John Cornyn, and John Hoeven were part of the delegation that visited Hungary.
“Our delegation and many of our colleagues in Congress are increasingly concerned by Hungary’s deepening and expanding relationship with Russia and the continued erosion of its democratic institutions,” said delegation leader Jerry Moran, according to the embassy.
Moran said that Budapest also ignores signals of concern from allies regarding Hungary’s deepening cooperation with China.
However, the senators called for closer cooperation between the US and Hungary, saying, “It is in our mutual interest for our countries to work closely together. We urge Hungary to heed and respond to the warnings of allies.”
The report notes that former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently spoke favorably about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Orban has long openly supported Trump, which has repeatedly caused “critical reactions from the US embassy.”. After the July NATO summit in Washington, Orban met with Trump at his Florida villa and said he discussed his “peace mission” regarding Ukraine with the former president.
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