Middle Eastern king visits PM Orbán: what’s behind the meeting?
Jordan’s King Abdullah II paid an official visit to Hungary on Thursday as part of his multi-country European tour aimed at strengthening cooperation and promoting regional stability.
King Abdullah pays official visit to Hungary
Invited by Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok, the monarch was welcomed with military honours at Kossuth Square in Budapest before holding formal talks at Sándor Palace. The meeting between King Abdullah and President Sulyok focused on bilateral relations and cooperation between Hungary and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, writes Anadolu Agency.
Later in the day, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received the Jordanian king at the Carmelite Monastery. According to the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Press Office, discussions covered both bilateral relations and the security situation in the Middle East, with special emphasis on the protection of persecuted Christian communities. Orbán expressed his appreciation for Jordan’s stabilising role in the region and for the country’s ongoing efforts to promote peace and moderation.
Strengthening ties between Europe and the Middle East
The Hungarian government has long viewed Jordan as a key partner in fostering dialogue between Europe and the Middle East. The visit underlines the growing diplomatic engagement between the two nations, particularly in areas such as security cooperation, humanitarian aid, and interfaith dialogue.
King Abdullah’s European tour began earlier this week and includes visits to Italy, the Vatican, Hungary, and Slovenia. In Italy, the monarch met President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and co-chaired the latest round of the Aqaba Meetings — an initiative he launched in 2015 to enhance international cooperation against terrorism and extremism.
The Jordanian king also held an audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican — their first meeting since the pontiff’s inauguration in May. His tour will conclude in Slovenia, where he is scheduled to take part in the Med9 Summit of southern European nations. Remarkably, Abdullah remains the only non-European leader invited to the forum for the second consecutive year.