US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Hungary for talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orban Monday, ahead of elections where the nationalist leader faces a significant challenge from the opposition, writes France24.

Rubio’s visit is the final stage of a whirlwind trip to Europe that also saw him address the Munich Security Conference and visit another right-wing ally, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.

US President Donald Trump has made no secret of his high regard for Orban, saying in a social media post on Friday that the prime minister had produced „phenomenal“ results in Hungary. In a speech on Saturday, Orban insisted he would keep up his fight against “pseudo-civil organisations, bought journalists, judges, politicians”. He also took aim at the “oppressive machinery of Brussels”, another jibe at the EU’s leadership, with whom he has long been at loggerheads on a host of issues.

Rubio’s visit comes ahead of Hungary’s parliamentary election on April 12”.