In April, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu visited Budapest amid international controversy over an ICC arrest warrant. Hungary, rejecting the court’s legitimacy, announced its withdrawal from the ICC, later formalized in May. The ICC has since launched non-compliance proceedings, while Hungary claims the court is politically biased and vows not to cooperate.
Hungarian police have dismantled a Budapest-based drug trafficking ring, arresting five suspects, including a teen who recently turned 18. Over 100 officers took part in the 21 July raid across multiple locations, seizing drugs, cash, and weapons.
Train services at Budapest’s Keleti Railway Station will be suspended from 25 August to 20 September for a major renovation project. The month-long closure will involve rerouted services, replacement buses, and extended travel times.
Péter Szijjártó didn’t mince words in criticizing Ursula von der Leyen, calling her a diplomatic embarrassment and slamming the US–EU trade deal as a humiliating defeat for Europe. Speaking on the Warriors’ Hour podcast, he said the EU would now pay the price for eight years of insulting Trump.
The euro plunged to $1.1565 on 29 July, down 1.6 per cent since the US–EU trade deal was announced—despite Ursula von der Leyen calling it a ‘huge deal’. Markets, however, delivered their verdict: the agreement heavily favours Washington, leaving Europe with rising energy dependence and economic uncertainty.
Despite recent media speculation, the Hungarian government has confirmed that mothers raising four or more children will continue to receive full income tax exemption, with no changes to eligibility or scope, the Ministry for National Economy announced Monday.
The University of Szeged has signed a cooperation agreement with ContiTech’s Hungarian branches to launch joint research and innovation projects, strengthen educational ties, and promote industry-academia collaboration.
‘The week before last week, the interior ministers of six EU member states…and the European Commission’s migration commissioner met in Germany to agree on a common position on the future of European migration and asylum policy.’
Hungary is reaping major benefits from economic ties with China, FM Péter Szijjártó said, citing record-breaking exports, high-tech investments, and job creation. He emphasized Hungary’s leading role in attracting Chinese projects and promoting cooperation between East and West.
Coming off the box office disaster that was Disney’s new Snow White, Rachel Zegler could hardly get any new film roles in the United States. She did get cast in a London production of the musical Evita—however, at one of the shows last week, she had to abruptly leave during intermission for mysterious reasons.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán appeared as the first guest of a new political podcast, sharing insights on digital activism, the youth vote, internal polling, the EU, and migration, declaring the internet a battleground that must not be surrendered.
Xbox has reversed its decision to price The Outer Worlds 2 at 80 dollars, announcing the game will instead retail for 70 dollars. The change follows backlash from fans and marks a pause in the growing trend of higher prices for AAA video game titles.
‘In recent years, relations between Middle Eastern and Central European countries have become increasingly close in the fields of investment, renewable energy, education, and technological cooperation. Under the “Eastern Opening” policy of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, ties were significantly strengthened with non-Western countries…’
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in his annual address at the Bálványos Summer Free University, known as Tusványos, warned of the growing threat of a potential world war. He also outlined Hungary’s neutrality doctrine, comprising five key pillars aimed at keeping the country out of armed conflict.
The 2025–2026 season of the Hungarian football league has just started: Újpest FC beat Diósgyőr 3–1 at home in the first game, with a great performance from Újpest striker Krisztofer Horváth.
At Tusványos 2025, leaders of Hungarian communities gathered to discuss ethnic minority rights, diaspora engagement, and regional geopolitics. From Ukraine’s demographic crisis to Serbia’s improving ties with Hungary, the National Policy Roundtable highlighted shared struggles and progress, featuring Deputy Prime Ministers Zsolt Semjén of Hungary and Barna Tánczos of Romania.
A united European army remains an illusion, argued Hungarian and regional experts at Tusványos. Citing historical, political, and structural obstacles, panellists instead urged member states to focus on NATO, develop national defence industries, and prepare for a shifting global security landscape.
Hungary and France are expanding their cooperation across nuclear energy, defence, and agricultural policy, with strong alignment on national sovereignty and opposition to EU budget plans that would reduce support for European farmers.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán described the Tusnádfürdő event as a welcome political escape and announced he would unveil key elements of Hungary’s long-term strategy, while also expressing sharp opposition to Ukraine’s EU membership and criticizing Brussels.
Hungary’s quest to make history in men’s water polo fell just short, as the national team lost 15–13 to Spain in the World Aquatics final in Singapore. Despite a late-game lead, Zsolt Varga’s squad could not hold off the reigning European champions. A win would have secured Hungary a record fifth world title—cementing its legacy as water polo’s undisputed giant.
Former US Ambassador to Hungary has published an opinion piece in The New York Times, comparing the supposed authoritarian power grab by President Trump to that of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary—certainly not the first such piece in a Western mainstream media publication. Bryan Leib has responded.
As the war in Ukraine drags on, experts at Tusványos warned that a definitive peace is unlikely. Panellists debated whether the conflict will freeze like others in the post-Soviet space, and what that means for Europe’s security and Ukraine’s future.
The Ukrainian legislature fast-tracked a new bill that would put the Ukrainian independent anti-corruption agencies under the purview of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, an appointee by President Zelenskyy. The move sparked concerns over conflicts of interest—people took to the streets to protest in Ukraine, and EU officials have spoken out about it as well.
The US has returned a priceless 17th-century manuscript stolen from Budapest to Hungary. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó called the gesture a milestone in cultural restitution and praised the renewed Hungarian–American partnership.
At a panel discussion at Tusványos 2025, Hungarian MP Zsolt Németh shared his hopes on how the second Trump administration could bring about ‘Pax Americana 2.0’. This and other important questions were discussed by him, Carlos Roa, Botond Csoma, and Zsolt Szilágyi.
Will Brussels dictate the future of Europe, or can member states reclaim control? A high-profile panel at Tusványos, including Hungarian EU Affairs Minister János Bóka and Rod Dreher, criticized the EU’s centralization drive, arguing that the European Commission now holds more power than many national governments.
At Tusványos 2025, global thinkers from all around the world, from Lebanon, the UK, and Hungary, discussed the decline of liberalism and rise of post-liberal democracy. Speakers like Balázs Orbán, Lord Frost, and Philip Pilkington argued that Western liberalism failed to deliver its promises, while others stressed the need to protect traditional values.
Hungary has refused to comply with the EU’s migrant quota system, citing national security concerns and growing public dissatisfaction across Europe. György Bakondi warned that Brussels’s approach ignores the realities faced by member states.
‘Bilateral relations between the United States and Hungary have swiftly moved forward and considerably improved since Trump returned to office on 20 January 2025…This is consistent with Trump’s emerging second-term foreign policy, which prioritizes realist engagement with other countries based on shared interests.’
Hungary has issued its largest-ever sovereign bond in China, raising 5 billion renminbi on the domestic Chinese market. The deal drew strong investor demand and supports Hungary’s financial reserves amid global uncertainty.