Russia–Ukraine War and Sanctions

As U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio visited Budapest where he formally signed a U.S.–Hungarian civilian nuclear cooperation agreement that contemplates U.S. small modular reactors, nuclear fuel and spent‑fuel storage technology, and he explicitly and enthusiastically endorsed Viktor Orbán’s bid for a fifth term, saying Trump is “deeply committed” and “your success is our success.” The visit — paired with a Slovakia stop and coming after Munich — drew warnings from senior European officials that Washington is legitimizing a leader accused of undermining democratic norms and aligned with Moscow, and Rubio declined to say how long Hungary’s exemption from U.S. sanctions on Russian energy will last.