Budapest witnessed rare protests in recent days, as demonstrators rallied against what they describe as a ‘Pride-ban’—an amendment to the law on the right of assembly, which imposes stricter conditions on mass events that violate the child protection law. Among the speakers was the infamous German MEP Daniel Freund, who effectively admitted that Brussels has been working for years to oust Viktor Orbán’s government, with the current demonstrations being no exception.
The Hungarian Institute of International Affairs presented its comprehensive study on the potential consequences of fast-tracking Ukraine’s accession to the European Union at a panel discussion organized by Mathias Corvinus Collegium. Experts agreed that the EU must identify alternative means of supporting Ukraine’s stabilization and long-term development beyond full membership.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused opposition parties of engaging in a ‘competition of provocations’ ahead of next year’s elections. Speaking on public Kossuth Radio, he addressed topics ranging from rural development and economic measures to European security and Hungary’s stance on war.
‘A right-wing candidate who was allowed to enter the race is George Simion from the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR)…While back in November polls failed to predict Georgescu’s victory, currently George Simion seems to be among the electorate’s favourites for the presidential role.’
Poles increasingly view support for Ukraine as a burden on the nation, with public sentiment shifting rapidly in a negative direction. This is clearly reflected in the rising popularity of Sławomir Mentzen, the presidential candidate of the right-wing Konfederacja, who is firmly opposed to the war and to unconditional support for Kyiv.
According to Head of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will pay an official visit to Hungary in the next few weeks. The visit was set in defiance of an international arrest warrant for the Israeli leader.
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Hungary’s energy security has faced constant and varied threats—from strikes on Russian gas pipelines to the suspension of transit through Ukraine. However, if the current ceasefire agreement is implemented effectively, Budapest could finally experience stability in this regard.
The 2024 election marked the fourth consecutive US presidential election where the popular vote margin was within five points—an unprecedented occurrence in US history. The last candidate to win the popular vote by more than 10 points was Republican Ronald Reagan in 1984. Why are US presidential elections so close in the 21st century?
‘Likud joining forces with PfE shook the liberal establishment. This can be measured by the intensity of their rhetoric. Patriots ought to look out for such signals from mainstream media: wherever they try to undermine you, it means you have done something right. This is the signal to close ranks and pursue whichever course of action caused this reaction in the first place.’
German outlet Deutsche Welle has published an interview with Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar which, in essence, serves as a propaganda piece. The questions appear crafted to be favourable from the outset, while crucial details about Magyar’s political trajectory—both before and after his rise—are conveniently omitted. Our takeaways follow.
‘The defence of democracy, human rights, and sovereignty cannot be contingent on political expediency or the geopolitical convenience of targeting smaller or less powerful states. A genuinely united Europe must demonstrate a consistent and impartial commitment to its principles, respecting the agency of all member states.’
‘Western media is…in a frenzy about an impending electoral upset in Hungary. Péter Magyar is being touted by some as “the biggest threat Hungary’s Viktor Orbán has faced in 15 years”. Much of this assessment is based on polling for the upcoming 2026 election…Yet when we look at the polling closely, we see that there are major discrepancies which lead one to seriously question its accuracy.’
‘If Brussels clings to this policy [on Ukraine], Europe will further weaken itself and become increasingly irrelevant on the global stage,’ State Secretary of the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister Balázs Hidvéghi warned in an interview with Hungarian Conservative.
Alan J Kuperman, in a rare opinion piece published by The Hill, breaks with the Western narrative on the causes of the war in Ukraine, acknowledging that Donald Trump is right about most of the factors behind the conflict. This ultimately means Hungary was right as well, as the Hungarian government’s position on the war closely aligns with that of the US president.
‘The current course [of the EU] leads straight to disintegration,’ Balázs Orbán pointed out in his keynote address at an event at Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) in Budapest, focusing on the recently published joint report by MCC and the Polish Ordo Iuris Institute on the urgent need for EU reform. Orbán’s speech was followed by a panel discussion featuring the report’s authors, Jerzy Kwaśniewski of Ordo Iuris and Rodrigo Ballester of MCC, alongside Director General of the Center for Fundamental Rights Miklós Szánthó.
The leader of Belgium’s most important Flemish nationalist movement in decades has been put in charge of a right-leaning coalition in the country he once vowed to split.
According to reporting by POLITICO, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó of Hungary to have the Hungarian government lift its veto on the renewal of sanctions on Russia by the EU. Hungary eventually did refrain from using its veto power, and thus the sanctions have been renewed for another six months.
‘On the day the US temporarily halted military aid to Ukraine, Kellogg delivered a speech at CFR in Washington, DC. He emphasized that Ukraine had several opportunities to sign the US–Ukraine $500 billion Minerals Deal, including during his visit to Kyiv on 19 February and during Zelenskyy’s last trip to Washington, which is unlikely to be remembered as a successful diplomatic effort.’
‘There is a historic chance for US–Hungary relations to peak, and it depends in no small part on the two leading players. Even though Hungary is a member of the EU and NATO, in the last two decades, American Democratic administrations have been explicitly hostile towards it…With the US president behind him, Orbán could be much more effective in strengthening his conservative agenda in Brussels, which until now has been an uphill struggle.’
‘Hungary’s unique historical background and geographic location make it a harbinger of fresh geopolitical guidelines, political standards and new norms. The country’s pragmatism in international relationships and capacity to preserve its strategic autonomy while still engaging with world bodies provide important inspiration for countries negotiating the challenges of modern global politics.’
Corruption appears to be among the ‘common European values’ often touted by mainstream parties in the European Parliament as yet another probe shakes the EU’s legislative institution. Initial reports suggest that around 15 former and current MEPs may be involved in a bribery case linked to Chinese telecom giant Huawei.
‘According to von der Leyen: “The question is no longer whether Europe’s security is threatened in a very real way. Or whether Europe should shoulder more of the responsibility for its own security,” but rather: “Is Europe prepared to act as decisively as the situation dictates? And is Europe ready and able to act with the speed and ambition that is needed?”’
‘Hungary’s humanitarian and military aid to Lebanon can contribute to regional stability and it also reflects Hungary’s broader geopolitical interests, that is, a stable Lebanon for the sake of the Middle East—and also for Europe, which faces potential security and migration challenges.’
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó described the ongoing protests in Serbia as an attempted ‘colour revolution’ aimed at destabilizing the region. He further stated that foreign-backed colour revolutions in recent years have all ended in tragedy, expressing gratitude to US President Donald Trump for ending Washington’s policy of meddling in other nations’ domestic affairs.
‘Peace in the region hinges on mutual respect for all sides—including the Serbs and Croats, who seek only to protect their security and self-determination. Brussels must cease pitting one ethnic group against the others, honour existing agreements, and call for an end to repression and a turn toward dialogue. Only through this path can Bosnia and Herzegovina secure a peaceful future…’
While Ukraine and Greenland dominate the headlines, Donald Trump and his foreign policy team are engaged in multiple negotiations worldwide to secure access to critical mineral reserves. These resources are essential for technological advancement, with China maintaining dominance over much of the global supply chain. For Washington, mineral diplomacy is a matter of strategic survival—one that is set to remain a key priority for the foreseeable future.
At a hearing for the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe of the US House of Representatives, Representative Sarah McBride of Delaware, a transgender woman, was referred to the Chairman as ‘Mr McBride’. In response, ranking member Bill Keating, a Democratic representative from Massachusetts, declared that the meeting could not go forward until McBride is introduced ‘the right way’.
The EU is increasing its number of peacekeepers stationed in Bosnia and Herzegovina as tensions rise at an alarming pace in the Western Balkans. Sarajevo accuses Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik of undermining the country’s constitution following a series of legislative moves after his conviction by a federal court last week. A close ally of Dodik, Viktor Orbán and Hungary now find themselves at the centre of these tensions, locked in a sharp diplomatic standoff with Bosnia.
‘There is an ideological collusion between Ursula von der Leyen and Emmanuel Macron to leave the framework created by the EU treaties…Viktor Orbán is closer to my ideological position than to that of Marine Le Pen,’ President of the French Reconquête party Éric Zemmour talks about the end of the war, the alliances of the right, and Europe’s chances of survival.
Former US ambassador to Hungary David Pressman continued his smear campaign against his former host country on CNN. However, while speaking to Christiane Amanpour, he accidentally admitted that he viewed Hungary as a ‘battleground between democracy and authoritarianism’ and that his goal was to defeat this perceived authoritarianism—essentially, ousting Viktor Orbán and his government.