WASHINGTON – President Bush, in a last-minute schedule change, will travel to Budapest this month to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution.
The visit will come after a stop in Vienna, Austria, on June 20-21 for a summit with European Union leaders. Bush originally had planned to travel from Austria to Kiev, Ukraine, but that was put aside because of Ukraine's difficulty in forming a new government. The Kiev visit was never officially announced by the White House although officials had talked privately about Bush stopping there.
In a statement announcing the visit, the White House said, "Hungary is a close NATO ally, sharing its experiences with emerging democracies and committed to the War on Terror. Hungary has made important contributions in support of democracy and security in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq."
It said Bush would hold talks on June 22 with President Laszlo Solyom and Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany.
White House press secretary Tony Snow said Bush would visit Kiev at another point.
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