Orbán holds talks with Rheinmetall CEO: We must defend Hungary

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (r) and Armin Papperger, President of Rheinmetall (l), with László Vigh, Fidesz Member of Parliament for the region (m), on 26 March 2022. MTI/Prime Minister's Press Office/Zoltán Fischer

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held talks in his office with Armin Papperger, the chief executive of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, on Thursday, the PM’s press chief said.

Orbán and Papperger agreed that in times of strife and amidst the war in Ukraine, the decision to launch Hungary’s defence industry development programme had proved a good one, Bertalan Havasi said.

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The prime minister said that defending Hungary was “our most important goal”, adding that the development programme must not slow down “despite the crisis caused by the European sanctions”. Cooperation of Rheinmetall and the Hungarian state will continue uninterrupted, he added.

Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky also attended the talks.