Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced last night that he expects to meet with US President Donald Trump soon to discuss an economic agreement between Hungary and the United States, Reuters reports, quoted by News.bg.
“A date has been set, and the plan for the negotiations is about 80% ready. We can agree with the Americans on the remaining 20%. We will decide together when to announce the meeting and when it will take place“, Orban said in an interview with the news portal Mandiner.
The Hungarian PM added that the agreement would include a tax treaty to prevent double taxation, as well as investment-related issues. The US terminated its tax treaty with Hungary in 2022, The measure will take effect in January 2023.
Orban has described the expected meeting as the start of a “golden era” in US-Hungarian relations, despite EU tariffs that have hurt Hungary’s auto-dependent economy.
Although Orban has yet to hold a bilateral meeting with Trump since the start of his second term, he has repeatedly expressed interest in signing an economic agreement.
The leader, who is up for election next year, has built a strong personal relationship with Trump over the years. His hardline anti-immigration policies have won him support among the MAGA movement in the US.
Still, relations between the two countries are strained, in part because of Orban’s pro-China policies and reliance on Russian crude oil and natural gas.
In a sign of improving bilateral relations under the Trump administration, the US last month restored Hungary's status in the visa waiver program.