US secretary of state Marco Rubio shakes hands with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban at a joint press conference in Budapest, Hungary, on Monday. Photo: ReutersWhat was hailed as an olive branch offered to Europe by US secretary of state, Marco Rubio may have withered to a twig for some in Brussels, following his diplomatic bear hug for Hungary’s Viktor Orban. “It’s in our national interest, especially as long as you’re the prime minister,” he added. Clearly no single speech from Rubio could be expected to repair what Canadian prime minister Mark Carney characterised as the “rupture” between the US and its former allies. Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban.

Source: Irish Independent February 17, 2026 18:37 UTC