A U. S. Diplomat's Trip to Strengthen Bonds with Europe's Conservative Leaders

Marco Rubio, the U. S. Secretary of State, is heading to Eastern Europe for a quick visit. He plans to meet with leaders from Slovakia and Hungary. These countries have leaders who are quite conservative and have a good relationship with former U. S. President Donald Trump. Rubio's trip is all about discussing important topics like energy deals and commitments to NATO. He mentioned that these countries have been cooperative with the U. S. and it's a good chance to strengthen those ties. This is Rubio's first visit to both countries. First, Rubio will meet with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Fico recently visited Trump in Florida. After that, Rubio will head to Hungary to meet with Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Orban is facing an election soon and might not win. Despite this, Trump has shown support for him.Both Fico and Orban have had some disagreements with the European Union. They have also kept ties with Russia, which has caused some tension. Even after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, these countries still buy Russian gas and oil. The U. S. has criticized this, but Rubio didn't give any details on what will be discussed during his visit. Fico has been vocal about his views on the EU, calling it a institution in "deep crisis. " He has praised Trump, saying he could bring peace back to Europe. However, Fico criticized the U. S. for capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. When it comes to NATO spending, Slovakia and Hungary have met the minimum requirement of 2% of GDP. But they have not increased their spending further, despite Trump's requests. On a positive note, Slovakia recently signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the U. S. and is considering more companies for a new nuclear power plant.