US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Slovakia and Hungary to strengthen alliances with pro-Trump leaders, focusing on NATO, energy, and bilateral cooperation.

MUNICH: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio begins a two-day trip to bolster ties with Slovakia and Hungary.

The State Department said the visit will focus on energy cooperation and bilateral issues, including NATO commitments.

Rubio told reporters these are “countries that are very strong with us, very cooperative with the United States”.

He will meet Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava on Sunday.

Fico visited former President Donald Trump in Florida last month.

On Monday, Rubio is expected to meet Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, who trails in polls ahead of an April election.

“The President said he’s very supportive of him, and so are we,” Rubio said of Orban.

Orban is considered a model by many on the American hard-right for his immigration and social policies.

Both Fico and Orban have clashed with EU institutions over democratic rules probes.

They have maintained ties with Moscow and criticised EU sanctions on Russia.

Slovakia and Hungary have continued to buy Russian gas and oil, a practice the US has criticised.

Rubio said this would be discussed during his tour but gave no details.

Fico has described the EU as an institution in “deep crisis”.

He has praised Trump, saying he would bring peace back to Europe.

Hungary and Slovakia have raised defence spending to NATO’s minimum 2% of GDP threshold.

Fico has refused to raise expenditure above that level despite Trump asking members to spend 5%.

On nuclear cooperation, Slovakia signed an agreement with the United States last month.

Fico said US-based Westinghouse was likely to build a new nuclear power plant.

 The Sun Malaysia