The United States secretary of state Mike Pompeo has discussed European energy diversification and US-Hungary security relations in his official meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the US state department spokesperson Robert Palladino has said on Monday, in an official statement.
According to Sputnik news reports, in the statement, Palladino said, “Pompeo met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest today to discuss US-Hungary bilateral relations, including ongoing US efforts to bolster the US-Hungary security relationship, counter Russian aggression, and strengthen NATO.”’
The two officials also discussed the need for the central European energy diversification, the transatlantic relationship, and the European Union integration for the western Balkans.
Earlier on Monday, after the meeting with Hungarian secretary of state Peter Szijjarto, Pompeo announced that both sides have reached to a defence cooperation agreement.
During a joint press conference with Szijjarto, Pompeo said Washington has aimed to increase its “positive influence” and presence in central Europe through a new cultural, security and economic initiatives.
The Nord Stream 2 project is a joint venture of Russian energy giant Gazprom with France’s Engine, Wintershall, the UK-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell, Austria’s OMV AG and Germany’s Sniper. Washington has been strongly opposing the project. Moscow has also repeatedly reiterated that the pipeline is a purely commercial project.