Hungary and Slovakia have escalated pressure on Ukraine to restore oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline, with Viktor Orbán threatening to block a €90 billion EU loan and Robert Fico warning to halt electricity exports. Kyiv has rejected the demands as ‘blackmail’, accusing both governments of acting irresponsibly and undermining regional energy security.
Less known than Nazi persecution itself is the role of the Jewish Councils established under German occupation. In Bereft of Council, historian László Bernát Veszprémy offers a rigorous, source-driven account of Jewish leadership in wartime Hungary, confronting uncomfortable questions of responsibility, survival, and post-war reckoning without speculation or revisionism.
‘In the first phase, immediately following the regime change, the conservative generation aimed to emulate Western European models, often paving the way for neoliberal shock therapy. The second generation, referred to as the “new right” in Central Europe, formulated its approach based on the adverse effects of post-transition capitalism.’
‘Finally, what many had feared came to pass: the heir to the throne of the Austro–Hungarian Empire fell victim to an assassination attempt. Although he escaped the first attack unscathed, the Serbian terrorists made no mistake the second time around…The assassination went down in world history, but the life of Franz Ferdinand has been completely forgotten.’
Hungary is building its future on children and maintaining strong family support policies, but current global uncertainties could make past achievements fragile, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said at a conference in Demecser.
Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar announced that he will head Tisza’s national list in April, formalizing what had long been obvious after nearly two years as the party’s sole public voice. Stating that he is ready to serve Hungary, Magyar and Tisza are deeply integrated into the EU establishment and are expected to align with it on issues such as Ukraine’s accession and migration.
The Kansas House overrode Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill restricting public bathrooms and locker rooms to biological sex, prompting an outburst from transgender Democratic Representative Abi Boatman. Claiming that men want to ‘police our bodies’ through the bill, Boatman was quickly grilled on social media.
A viral video of Viktor Orbán and Javier Milei sharing a light-hearted moment at the Board of Peace inauguration has drawn widespread attention, with social media users describing the two leaders as ‘best friends in class’. During the same event, Donald Trump endorsed Orbán for re-election ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election in April.
Donald Trump has raised more than $17 billion in less than a month to support the work of the Board of Peace in Gaza. Among the European Union member states, only Hungary was represented at prime ministerial level at the inaugural meeting in Washington.
After returning from a short visit to Washington, Viktor Orbán announced major expansion plans at Budapest’s main airport, laying the foundation stone for Terminal 3 and highlighting the importance of keeping strategic investments in Hungarian ownership.
Will Iran sign a new deal on its nuclear and ballistic missile programme? How strong are Russian, Chinese, and American influences in the Middle East? What will happen to Gaza and Hamas? We asked the former CEO and President of the Middle East Institute about the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.
Viktor Orbán called on Brussels to act after Ukraine halted Druzhba oil transit, describing the move as political coercion against Hungary and Slovakia. He further said that Kyiv is intervening in Hungary’s upcoming election to install a compliant government, arguing that in dangerous periods, stability depends on trusted alliances and experienced leadership.
‘Power, after all, begs to be balanced, as realist theory holds. As Kenneth Waltz wrote in his final essay: “the very acts that have allowed Israel to maintain its nuclear edge in the short term have prolonged an imbalance that is unsustainable in the long term.”’
Hungary’s official campaign period for the 12 April parliamentary election begins Saturday, allowing voters to endorse candidates and enabling parties and nominees to launch campaign activities under rules set by election law.
Opposition leader Péter Magyar insists he would uphold Hungary’s veto on Ukraine’s EU accession, even as his party sits within the European People’s Party—the bloc’s strongest advocate of Kyiv’s fast-track membership. The apparent contradiction exposes the political theatre that Tisza and the EPP are staging ahead of Hungary’s April election.
‘I would not be surprised if they try to strike with missiles beyond the Middle East,’ the Israeli expert said before specifically highlighting the Hungarian capital as a potential Iranian target.
US President Donald Trump issued a ‘complete and total endorsement’ of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of April’s parliamentary election, praising his stance on migration during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington. The endorsement comes as US officials increasingly highlight Orbán’s strategic importance for American interests in Central Europe.
The International Society of Gulag Researchers, with the Transcarpathian Alliance and the Center for Fundamental Rights, hosted the launch of The Human Cost of War, about the relocation of one million Hungarians to Soviet forced labour camps after World War II, known as ‘Malenkiy Robot’. Speakers commemorated the victims and drew parallels with the escalation of the Russo–Ukrainian war.
‘The violent activists of the radical left group were closely associated with the La France Insoumise (LFI) party, which is now under fire for the beating. The Young Guard, the anti-fascist group that is responsible for the attack on Quentin’s life, was founded by Raphaël Arnault, who serves as LFI’s representative in the National Assembly.’
Mewgenics shocked the internet by selling over a million copies after a week of its release. While it may come as a surprise, if one looks into the effort by the developers to make the game widely known, the success is well deserved.
At a conference titled The Future of Peace Negotiations, hosted by the Mathias Corvinus Collegium and the Danube Institute, policymakers and analysts discussed the prospects for ending the war in Ukraine, the role of international institutions, and the economic implications of a potential EU accession for Ukraine.
Hungary has a place in the newly formed Peace Council based on both its principles and interests, as the initiative could help efforts to end conflicts beyond Gaza, including the war in neighbouring Ukraine, Foreign Minister Szijjártó Péter said in Washington.
French authorities have arrested 11 suspects in connection with the fatal beating of 23-year-old right-wing activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon, including a parliamentary assistant linked to Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s France Unbowed party. The killing comes amid growing concern across Europe over escalating far-left political violence and Antifa-linked militant activity.
A German court has ordered Elon Musk’s X to provide data tied to Hungary’s upcoming parliamentary election, escalating tensions between the platform and European regulators enforcing the Digital Services Act. The case, driven by EU- and foreign-funded NGOs, has fuelled concerns in Budapest over external interference and political pressure ahead of the April vote.
Brussels has entered a new phase of escalation, transforming support for Ukraine into an automatic political and economic war framework. This trajectory narrows national sovereignty, embeds long-term financial commitments in EU budgets, and shifts Europe’s focus from peace toward sustaining conflict, the Center for Fundamental Rights argues in their new analysis.
Europe’s growing return to traditional architecture reflects more than aesthetic preference—it signals a broader struggle over identity, democratic legitimacy, and civic morale, speakers argued at a Danube Institute panel in Budapest. The discussion highlighted public resistance to modernism, the cultural meaning of restoration, and Budapest’s reconstruction as a model for Europe’s architectural renewal.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused Ukraine of ‘blackmailing’ Hungary by halting oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline, warning that Kyiv and Brussels are applying growing pressure to force Budapest into a pro-war European coalition. Hungary has halted diesel exports to Ukraine in response while insisting its own energy supply remains secure.
A majority of Hungarians believe only Prime Minister Viktor Orbán would be able to resist pressure from Brussels in debates over joint EU borrowing and financial support for Ukraine, according to a new Századvég survey.
In a new production of George Bernard Shaw’s 1923 play Saint Joan at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, United Kingdom, the titular character Joan of Arc is being played by black actress Mandipa Kabana. This is yet another instance of a white historical figure being portrayed by an actor of colour.
The House of Terror Museum will mark the Memorial Day for the Victims of Communism with special history lessons, exhibitions, theatre performances and free admission between 17 and 27 February, alongside commemorative events in Hungary and abroad.