Trump meets Orbán at White House – PHOTOS, VIDEO

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, got underway on Monday afternoon local time.

Trump greeted Orbán at one of the entrances of the White House before the two leaders went inside for their talks, according to images broadcast on Hungarian public news channel M1 and CNN.

The White House said in a statement last week that the meeting would coincide with Hungary’s 20th anniversary as a NATO member. It said the two leaders would discuss ways to deepen cooperation on a range of issues, including trade, energy and cyber security, it added.

Photo: MTI

Trump praises Orban’s efforts to preserve Hungary’s security

US President Donald Trump praised the efforts of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to preserve Hungary’s security, at a meeting between the two leaders at the White House on Monday.

“People have a lot of respect for this prime minister,” Trump said.

The president called Hungary a “very good member of NATO”.

Trump also praised Orbán’s handling of illegal migration.

“You look at some of the problems that they have in Europe that are tremendous because they have done it a different way than the prime minister,” Trump said.

Prior to the meeting, Orbán signed the White House guest book. Photo: MTI

Orbán: Hungary aims to strengthen strategic alliance with US

Hungary and the US have similar approaches to a variety of global political issues, Orbán said in the Oval Office, mentioning illegal immigration, the fight against terrorism and the protection of Christian communities.

Asked about Hungary’s democratic reforms, the prime minister said his government was operating on the basis of the constitution approved in 2011.

Orbán thanked Trump for inviting him to the White House. He said the main goal of his visit was to strengthen the strategic alliance between the two countries.

Hungary and the US have similar approaches to a variety of global political issues, Orbán said, mentioning illegal immigration, the fight against terrorism and the protection of Christian communities.

He noted that his government had won multiple elections, adding that “we are happy to serve our nation.”

The meeting lasted significantly longer than originally planned, and began with a closed-door meeting that was also attended by Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and US National Security Advisor John Bolton.

As we wrote earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s upcoming talks in the United States “will mark the end of a decade-long period of high-level diplomatic isolation of Hungary”, former US Ambassador to Hungary April Foley wrote in an article published in The Washington Times, read more HERE.

Source: MTI