Rubio Visits Slovakia, Hungary to Bolster Ties in Central Europe

The U.S. State Department said last week that Rubio plans to discuss bilateral issues, including NATO responsibilities, as well as energy cooperation.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (R) make a statement to reporters in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Feb. 15, 2026. Zuzana Gogova/Getty Images

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised to strengthen cooperation with Central Europe on Feb. 15, kicking off a two-day excursion with the conservative leaders of Slovakia and Hungary.

Both Slovakia and Hungary rely on Russian oil and gas, a point of contention between other European Union bloc nations and Washington after sanctions were imposed on Moscow after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.