VP Pool Report # 3 - VP Orban Bilat

The motorcade arrived at Carmelite Monastery around 1142 CEST. The pool did not catch the VP’s greeting with Orbán as we were at the back of the motorcade.

After the greeting the Prime Minister showed the VP around the grounds of the Monastery for just under 20 minutes. The pool was not present for the tour.

At 1211 CEST the VP and the PM went into a bilateral meeting. There was no pool spray at the top. At 1237 they emerged for a handshake photo before going into the expanded bilateral meeting.

The pool was ushered into room ahead of the expanded bilateral. Some members of the Hungarian and American delegations were already present.

As they waited, Vance’s Chief of Staff Jacob Reses, Gladden Pappin, President of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs and Balázs Orbán, the PM’s political director discussed recent coverage of Reses and Pappin in the press.

The pool was ushered out.

A full list of expanded bilat participants is below, courtesy of the VP’s office.

At 1245 the VP and the Prime Minister went into the expanded bilat. The pool returned to the room.

In brief remarks, Orban said the meeting was an opportunity to exchange views on current affairs and the fight for the “soul of the west.”

Vance stressed the importance of the US-Hungarian relationship as well as the personal relationship between the leaders of the two countries. “The President loves you and so do I,” Vance said. He praised Orban as “one of the only true statesmen in Europe.” He wished Orban good luck in the upcoming parliamentary elections on April 12.

As the pool was ushered out, Vance said “I was led to believe you Are mean to reporters. You guys are very nice to reporters.”

Please check quotes against the Otter.

https://otter.ai/u/Qx9jivfc1tr7uchpLOjCstF8Z1I

Expanded bilat is underway. A joint press conference will follow.

Expanded bilateral participants

United States

The Vice President of the United States of America

Jacob Reses Chief of Staff to the Vice President

Dr. Andy Baker Deputy National Security Advisor to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President

Caroline Savage Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., U.S. Embassy Budapest

Paolo Zampolli Special Envoy of the President of the United States of America for Global Partnerships

Andrew Loomis Special Advisor to the Vice President for Russian/European Affairs

Hungary

Viktor Orbán Prime Minister of Hungary

Péter Szijjártó Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary

Balázs Orbán Political Director to the Prime Minister of Hungary

Marcell Biró Chief National Security Advisor of Hungary

János Máté State Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Programme Office

Szabolcs Takács Ambassador of Hungary to the United States

Gladden J. Pappin President of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs

Amy Mackinnon

US-Europe Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Financial Times

XXX-XXX-XXXX (Cell, Signal, WhatsApp)