Hungary’s foreign minister travels to Russia for energy expo

By JUSTIN SPIKE
Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s top diplomat has traveled to Russia to take part in an international forum on nuclear energy. The Monday visit underscored Hungary’s persistently close ties with Moscow amid the war in Ukraine. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto gave a speech at the opening plenary session of the two-day ATOMEXPO international forum in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. His visit includes talks with the head of Russia’s state atomic energy company Rosatom over a planned Russia-backed expansion of Hungary’s only nuclear power plant. The trip was the latest sign of Hungary’s continuing diplomatic and trade ties with Russia, which have confounded some European leaders as the war in Ukraine nears its ninth month.