Relationship dossier
Hungary
United States
Relationship assessment
NATO allies with defense cooperation and recurring political friction
Hungary toward United States
+15Hungary participates in NATO cooperation with the United States and entered into a bilateral defense cooperation agreement. Political disagreements, including over Hungary’s foreign policy and governance, have periodically strained relations.
United States toward Hungary
+10The United States maintains defense cooperation with Hungary under a bilateral agreement. It also imposed restrictions on Hungarian citizens’ access to the visa-waiver program over concerns about identity and citizenship verification, amid broader criticism of Hungarian government policies.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship is anchored in NATO membership and a bilateral defense cooperation agreement, while political disagreements and U.S. visa-waiver restrictions have created recurring friction. The alliance and practical defense ties coexist with significant disputes over governance and foreign policy.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Hungary and the United States are NATO allies with a bilateral defense cooperation agreement, but their relationship has also faced political friction. The United States imposed restrictions on Hungarian citizens’ access to its visa-waiver program over concerns about identity and citizenship verification. Disputes over governance and Hungary’s foreign policy have further strained political ties, though defense cooperation remains an important part of the relationship.
Areas of tension
- U.S. concerns about Hungarian governance and democratic institutions
- U.S. restrictions on Hungarian citizens’ access to the visa-waiver program
- Disagreements over Hungary’s foreign policy, including its approach to Russia
Key developments
The two governments signed a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement.
The United States announced restrictions on Hungarian citizens’ access to its visa-waiver program, citing identity and citizenship verification concerns.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and implementation of bilateral defense cooperation are unclear.
- The effects of political disagreements on ongoing government cooperation are uncertain.