Hungarian Conservative

‘This drone is the result of several years of development work and the cooperation of Hungarian engineers,’ Imre Porkoláb, Ministerial Commissioner for Defence Innovation underlined.

With the recent large-scale build-up of the national defence industry, Hungary is not only ensuring its own military equipment supply, but also contributing to the development of European defence industrial capabilities and thus enhancing the EU’s security.

27 June is the Day of Hungarian Border Guards. The geographic location of our country and the very fact that it is the eastern bulwark of Western Christianity obliged it in the past and is still predestining it today to be one of the guardians of European civilisation and the peace of the continent.

In addition to the French initiative, Hungary has also joined the German-initiated Sky Shield programme, which will further enhance its capabilities through joint procurement.

On Wednesday, 21 June, the Ministry of Defence issued a statement confirming that a Hungarian military helicopter had crashed in Croatia while on active duty with a three-men crew on board.

The presence of Soviet troops in Hungary was of course illegal. The Paris Peace Treaty of 1947, which ended the war, required them to be withdrawn from our country, and although the treaty allowed for the necessary number of soldiers to remain here to ‘maintain the lines of supply’, there were obviously many more than that. The ‘legalisation’ of the presence of the Soviet forces that crushed the 1956 revolution was carried out by the new, collaborationist Kádár government in 1957.

Rheinmetall is one of the few companies of its type with a proven track record of successful localisation projects. But that is only part of the story. Equally important was the trust that was built between the German corporation and the Hungarian government during the process of expanding cooperation.

‘Despite their injuries, the Hungarian soldiers have shown brave commitment, and many of those who were able to do so have already returned to their posts,’ the Hungarian defence minister said after the clashes between KFOR troops and local Serbs in North Kosovo. The minister stressed that the stability of the Western Balkans is very important to Hungary, which is why it is present in the region not only diplomatically and economically, but also militarily in the framework of the KFOR mission.

‘We condemn all forms of terrorism in the strongest possible terms, we recognise Israel’s right to self-defence and we express our sincere sympathy to the government and people of Israel in the face of this new grave threat,’ the MFAT statement said in reaction to the recent terrorist attacks on Israel.

Alexandra Szentkirályi reiterated that Hungary still does not and will not ship weapons to Ukraine nor will it allow other countries to ship weapons through its territory.

Hungary has always been on the side of peace, but the country needs strength and preparation for its defence, and it must participate in peace-supporting operations within the framework of alliances.

An Israeli expert, who requested anonymity, told Hungarian Conservative that there is no doubt
foreign NGOs involved in the protests are funded not only by private individuals but by European governments, such as Germany, too. But it is impossible to prove that the financing coming from foreign governments is used specifically to support the anti-government protests.

The Orbán administration has committed to spending at least two per cent of the country’s GDP on defence by the end of 2024, a commitment made in 2014 by all NATO members but something many NATO countries have not yet honoured. Hungary, in fact, is set to achieve the two per cent threshold by the end of this year, before the deadline.

Ukraine’s hunger for ammunition is almost impossible to meet, while NATO is running low on stocks. Hungary, meanwhile, is strengthening its own military.

In his regular Friday morning interview on public radio, the Prime Minister said that he believes this is the closest the world has ever been ‘to a localised war turning into a world war’.

According to recently released data, approximately two million Ukrainian refugees have fled to Hungary since the Russian aggression.

‘Force transformation is a never-ending task, we have to continuously adapt to the changing environment and be at the forefront of preparing for the future,’ the Hungarian Ministry of Defence highlighted.

‘Hungary and Austria are good neighbours and maintain very close cooperation in almost all areas, including the field of the military and defence,’ the Hungarian Minister of Defence underlined after meeting with his Austrian counterpart in Budapest.

Upon the advent of the new decade, it was expected that the 2020s would be challenging even without a major economic crisis or another high-impact, low-probability event after the COVID–19 pandemic.

The participants of the 2022 Christian Media Summit caught a glimpse of the everyday lives of Israelis who face the constant threat of terrorist attacks with resilience and unbroken optimism.

The CMS is an annual event that brings together 150 top-tier Christian news executives and public opinion leaders worldwide for dialogue on key topics relevant to Israel and the Christian world. It aims to achieve a better understanding and strengthen the friendship and alliance between the State of Israel and Christians around the world.

As one of the thirty member states that voted against the proposal, Hungary made it clear that the 75th Independence Day of the Jewish State should be celebrated and not mourned as a ‘disaster’. 

Japan’s new National Security Strategy acknowledges that the balance of power has shifted significantly towards China, a country that has been going through a massive military build-up for decades.

Poland’s efforts to turn its growing military power into political influence may be hampered by criticism of its alleged rule of law issues and concerns over its arms purchases from non-NATO countries outside Europe.

If you go to Israel and say that you’re from Hungary, most Israelis will smile at you, hug you and shake your hand. We perceive Hungary as a very close ally.

‘Hungary is not only an ally but a friend to Israel,’ stressed Acting Prime Minister Yair Lapid in his meeting with the Hungarian President.

The right-wing bloc, led by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his national-liberal Likud party, came out as the clear winner of the Israeli election. While Netanyahu’s main religious Zionist allies gained an impressive number of seats, Israel’s ‘old left’ literally shrank to the brink of nonexistence.

The Hungarian force development programme essentially aims at acquiring NATO-compatible equipment, increasing troops levels, and building a national defence industry.

Animatiqua studio used Fortepan’s photos to revive the old Budapest. Pictures of buildings, bridges and squares that can no longer be seen in their original form have been digitalised.

Hungary’s defence capability has grown significantly, which is essential not only for self-defence and deterrence purposes but also for the country to remain an influential contributor to regional, European and transatlantic security efforts in trying times.