The European Union enters the next battle
Rubio meets Orban and backs him ahead of the Hungarian elections, while the EU questions the Hungarian democracy. The dispute reflects a wider clash over ideology and Europe’s political direction.
February 17, 2026 | INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
One year after the American president initiated the tariff war, the EU now faces the next battle against the US. The first battle was won by the US, it concerned mineral resources, tariffs were only the means used. The mineral battle should have been resolved by the EU long ago, it could not be won, but the EU lost its head and mixed the cards. In any case NATO is safe for the moment, read more about the US win here. Now the European Union faces a new battle where there is a risk that they will mix the cards again, that battle began yesterday.
Controversial meeting between Marco Rubio and Viktor Orbán
The American Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled straight from the Security Conference in Munich to Hungary. There, among other things, an agreement was concluded on the expansion of civilian nuclear power in Hungary. It has significance for several reasons, but most important is that Hungary will now build itself up as a reliable energy supplier in the region. It is so significant that the Hungarian president Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary now stands before a golden age, and he is hardly wrong. Marco Rubio also brought a greeting to Orbán ahead of the election in Hungary April 3; “I will say to you with confidence that President Trump is deeply committed to your success.” Orbán leads the conservative party Fidesz.
The EU’s Article 7 procedure against Hungary
The EU has for several years been in conflict with Hungary which became an EU member in 2004. Concerns related to the Hungarian rule of law have now led to a new formal assessment in the union. The EU Parliament has adopted a preliminary assessment in the ongoing Article 7 case against Hungary. The Parliament believes the development is going in the wrong direction, among other things when it comes to the independence of the courts, corruption, electoral conditions and use of EU funds, and asks for stronger reactions. The EU can in the outermost consequence move forward in the procedure so that Hungary loses its voting right in the Council of Ministers. The Union can also withhold money, bring lawsuits and implement other supervisory measures, and possibly react if espionage accusations are confirmed.
The United States’ security strategy and support for conservative politics
In the national security strategy of the US, which was published in November last year, it clearly appears that the US will support politicians and countries that share their vision for the Western Hemisphere. This is what we now see play out. According to the US’s strategy Orbán is an obvious partner. If we are to listen to the EU’s concern about Hungary there is a possibility that the election in Hungary will be manipulated. On the other hand, it is also possible that Orbán can obtain sufficient votes in a lawful way now that he has the US at his back. In any case the EU has a problem, the EU is social-democratic, the conservative forces in Europe are in strong emergence. Conservatism brings with it more than market forces, the conservatism we now see brings with it protectionism and can in the worst case lead to nationalism taking hold.
European citizens need to keep a clear head, the US is protectionist but is it nationalist? Strict immigration policy is not necessarily the same as nationalism, it depends entirely on how the policy develops further; whether it actually leads to rule-of-law discrimination, or even worse racism. That is what everyone with a democratic spirit fears, nevertheless we must take with us that neither protectionism, conservatism nor immigration stop is synonymous with nationalism, discrimination or racism. Hungary is in a class of its own in Europe in that regard.
The EU risks polarizing in the opposite direction and fueling the conflict
In light of how the EU has handled the battle over the minerals, a battle it was completely impossible that they could win, there is reason to worry about Europe’s future. Countries that play on the same team as the US will get economic growth, that we can now see unfold in Hungary. It will spread like a pandemic, it can mean that countries like Italy will go in the same direction without breaking the EU’s rule-of-law requirements. We may come to see major changes in the years ahead when EU countries shall carry out their periodic elections.
In the meantime there may be as great chaos as we have seen the last year, when conservatism grows the socialist forces will become stronger and reason in the middle will be pressed out like water in a centrifuge. This is when we need the EU as an institution to stand strongly in the middle, but it looks bad. The last year they have allowed themselves to be drawn into polarization and turned to socialist countries; an ever more authoritarian India and the communist dictatorship China. This is a very worrying development that can split Europe.
For the record S&P wishes to inform that the articles are written from a libertarian, not conservative and not socialist standpoint. S&P calls for realism in the politics and journalism of our time.
RELATED ARTICLES
SOURCES
White House
U.S. National Security StrategyCBS News
US and Hungary sign nuclear cooperation deal as Trump deepens ties with Viktor OrbánReuters
Rubio says Trump is committed to Orbán’s success ahead of Hungary’s electionsBloomberg
Rubio pledges US support for Hungary’s Orbán before tight electionThe Guardian
Rubio tells Orbán Trump is deeply committed to his success during Hungary visitEuropean Union
Country profile of HungaryEuropean Parliament
Parliament warns about Hungary’s deepening rule of law crisis
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