It’s no secret that the United States and Hungary are entering into a new heyday in their relationship under President Trump and Prime Minister Orbán. While largely based on the growing nature of their personal relationship, there is real history and strategic interests that the U.S. and Hungary share. From the 140 Hungarian soldiers who fought on the side of the U.S. during the Revolutionary War, and the Hungarian military officer Michael Kováts de Fabriczy (Fabriczi Kováts Mihály), who died defending Charleston, South Carolina, from the British in 1779 (something that is still honored on the campus of the Citadel Military College in Charleston), there is a lot of history that only strengthens the bedrock of the US–Hungarian relationship. But it seems the U.S. isn’t alone in the desire to strengthen its relationship with Hungary.
Central Europe and the Far East aren’t something you would instinctively think go together. But one casual stroll down the streets of Budapest tells another story. Walking along the banks of the Danube River from the Hungarian Parliament towards St. Margaret’s Island, one can see traces of the Far East everywhere, most notably in the large Korean memorial along the river. Built to memorialize the tragic riverboat crash that claimed the lives of 26 Korean tourists and 3 Hungarian crew in 2019, the memorial stands as a reminder of the human connection Hungary shares with the Far East. Those connections, while important, are rapidly becoming only a small part of Hungary’s increasing engagement with the nations of Eastern Asia.
The recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Budapest saw the signing of a new major nuclear deal between the United States and Hungary. As part of the deal, the U.S. and Hungary are expected to cooperate on the construction of as many as ten U.S.-designed small modular reactors (SMRs), and American industry will provide and help manage spent nuclear fuel in the country. Hungary, a country that already generates more than 50 percent of its electricity from nuclear energy, is being eyed by the U.S. as a new central hub for promoting its SMR technology in Central Europe, and it’s not alone.
In recent personal visits to Seoul and Tokyo, to this researcher, it’s become more than evident that Japan and South Korea are extremely interested in investing in Hungary’s growing nuclear industry. In talks with elected officials, think tank, defense, and energy experts from the Korean Peninsula to the Japanese islands of Kyushu, it seems that everyone wants a share of Hungary’s growing nuclear sector, and they are making their case as to why Hungary should work with Japanese and Korean SMRs as well.
South Korea, which is already heavily involved in Hungary’s battery industry, is looking to expand into new energy avenues. Researchers and lawmakers in Seoul alike have discussed potential joint nuclear initiatives and closer economic ties in other advanced industries.
Not just South Korea, but Japan has also been making its case for increased nuclear cooperation with Budapest and even signed an official agreement for joint nuclear industrial cooperation back in 2023. The two countries plan to coordinate on nuclear safety in particular, which Hungary is especially interested in, as its current nuclear reactors are approaching well over 40 years of age.
‘Not just South Korea, but Japan has also been making its case for increased nuclear cooperation with Budapest’
All three nations are interested in using Hungary to showcase their nuclear technologies to the European market—and it is the perfect place to do so. Unlike Western Europe, countries in Central Europe are heavily invested in nuclear energy, with nations such as Hungary and Slovakia generating more than 50 percent of their electricity from nuclear power. As Hungary seeks to diversify its energy portfolio to bolster resilience in energy production, it plans to deploy a fleet of SMR reactors across the eastern part of the country.
As Europe as a whole contends with the need to diversify its energy portfolio amid geopolitical tensions, the ongoing nuclear energy competition serves as a perfect test case to help ease the fears of generally nuclear-sceptic populations across the region. As a result of increasing its investment in nuclear energy, it has begun receiving investments and prospective bidders from across the planet. From North America to the Far East, everyone wants a piece of Hungary’s nuclear pie, and hopefully it will serve as an example for the rest of Europe to help it overcome its nuclear hesitancy.
A new nuclear race is underway, and Hungary seems to be where it will be run. Centered between the nations of the Far East and West, it seems that the next chapter of nuclear competition and cooperation between the U.S. and its Far East allies will be held in Budapest.
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