US Secretary of State Rubio Strengthens Ties with Europe's Pro-Trump Leaders

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is traveling in Europe this weekend, focusing on strengthening ties with key allies. According to the State Department public schedule, Rubio is visiting Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary from February 13 to 16, 2026. On Sunday, he met with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini in Bratislava at 11:15 a.m. local time, marking the first such visit by a US Secretary of State in seven years. France24 reports that Rubio's trip aims to bolster relations with pro-Trump leaders in Slovakia and Hungary, who often clash with the European Union. Discussions centered on energy cooperation, bilateral issues, and NATO commitments. He also met Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who visited President Donald Trump in Florida last month. Slovakia recently agreed with the US on nuclear cooperation, with Fico noting Westinghouse may build a new power plant there. The trip follows Rubio's major speech on February 14 at the Munich Security Conference. The White House described it as a landmark address reaffirming Trump's America First policy, urging Europe to embrace its Christian heritage, reject mass migration and climate extremism, and build self-reliance. Rubio warned against the fantasy of a world without borders, calling unchecked migration a threat to Western civilization and national sovereignty, as detailed by Fox News. Atlantic Council experts noted the speech's positive tone, earning a standing ovation, while emphasizing shared challenges like globalization's excesses. US lawmakers and figures like Vice President JD Vance and Senator Lindsey Graham praised it widely, with some calling it historic and Reaganesque. On Monday, Rubio plans to meet Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a Trump ally facing polls ahead of April elections. Topics include energy, as both nations buy Russian gas despite US criticism, and NATO spending, where they meet the two percent of GDP minimum but not Trump's higher goal. Rubio told reporters these nations cooperate closely with the US. Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Please subscribe for more updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.