The basic values of the United States such as freedom of speech and religion have not changed with the inauguration of the new president, Donald Trump, and they will not change in the future either, embedded as they are in the constitution, he said, adding that Hungary’s NATO membership was a declaration of the two countries’ agreement that freedom, prosperity, the media, strong civil societies and the autonomy of higher education must be protected.

He said the new research centre was built on values as opposed to the constant analysis of costs and benefits. He also talked about common threats and challenges facing the two countries, noting, among others, Russian aggression, terrorism and the spread of nuclear weapons.

As part of the official opening of the research centre, a roundtable discussion was held on the recent past and future of Hungarian-US defence and security cooperation.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.