Hungary strives for boosting political, economic, cultural and tourism ties and developing the traditionally strong military and security policy relations between the two countries, Kövér told the delegation, composed of five Republican lawmakers and a Democrat Congressman.

The House speaker called the United States Hungary’s most important ally outside the European Union.

The two sides exchanged views on the future of the European Union, the ways to manage the European migration crisis, V4 cooperation, the Ukrainian education law that limits the language rights of the ethnic Hungarian community, Hungarian-Russian relations and Hungary’s efforts to eliminate its unilateral dependence on energy imports.

Dennis Ross, the head of the US delegation, confirmed his strong commitment to developing closer ties between the two countries.

The congressmen also met Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Human Resources Minister Zoltán Balog, Interior Minister Sándor Pintér as well as Zsolt Németh, head of parliament’s foreign affairs committee and of the Hungary-US friendship section.

MTI photo: Bruzák Noémi