A spy war has erupted between Hungary and Ukraine, with both countries expelling diplomats amid allegations of espionage and political subversion. At home, Hungarian officials now suspect the opposition’s actions—including a controversial leak by Péter Magyar—may be tied to Ukrainian intelligence efforts to destabilize Prime Minister Orbán’s government.
Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar has published an audio recording—hyped as capable of toppling the government—featuring Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky discussing the army’s need to prepare for potential conflict. While the recording falls far short of expectations, it reveals much about Magyar himself and how detached from reality he appears to be.
In a historic first, Hungary’s defence minister visited Uzbekistan to sign a new agreement marking the start of deeper military cooperation. The visit underscores Hungary’s interest in regional stability and stronger ties in Central Asia.
Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky of Hungary has announced that 5,000 new recruits have signed up for the Reserves of the Hungarian Defence Forces, which, as he pointed out, is a testament to the success of the ‘I love it, I defend it’ campaign started by his Ministry in June.
The Hungarian Defence Forces have expanded their arsenal with new Leopard 2A7HU tanks, Lynx infantry fighting vehicles, and thousands of modern firearms, reinforcing the country’s military capabilities. The latest additions were announced by the Minister of Defence on Friday.
Last weekend the world was shocked by news of a fire that took the lives of 59 people in a North Macedonian nightclub and injured an additional 156. The blaze broke out after 2am at Club Pulse, most probably due to the pyrotechnics used during a concert. Arguably the nightclub fire is the worst tragedy that has happened in North Macedonia in recent memory.
The Hungarian Foreign Ministry’s plane was denied landing in Sarajevo following a decision by Bosnian Defence Minister Zukan Helez. Helez cited Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s continued support for Milorad Dodik, leader of Republika Srpska. Dodik was sentenced to one year in prison last week on politically motivated grounds.
Hungarian troops have earned international recognition for their leadership in the EUFOR Althea peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky stated on Monday. The mission marked a historic milestone as Hungary took command of the EU’s peacekeeping mission for the first time.
‘The HQ MND-C’s role will expand in the coming years, and is set to coordinate NATO military exercises aimed at testing combat readiness and enhancing interoperability among Allied forces. It will continue to play a critical role in the region’s defence architecture, ensuring that the Alliance remains prepared for the challenges of the future.’
Hungary is strengthening its defence cooperation with Türkiye through the acquisition of 56 new Gidrán armoured combat vehicles. The agreement builds on an existing partnership with Turkish defence company Nurol Makina and aligns with Hungary’s broader military modernization efforts started in 2016.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.
