In a recent video posted on X, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán outlined the financial burden the war in Ukraine has placed on Hungary and estimated the annual cost per household if Kyiv were to join the European Union. He urged Hungarians to make their voices heard, referring to the public vote initiated by the government on Ukraine’s EU accession.
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.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini was awarded the Hunyadi János Award by the Foundation for a Civic Hungary on Wednesday, with the honour presented by Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán. In his speech at the ceremony in Brussels, Orbán urged patriotic forces to reclaim the sovereignty of nation-states, which he argued had been illegally confiscated by the European Union in recent years.
Hungary’s labour market continues to show remarkable strength, surpassing the European Union average in employment rates. In the final quarter of 2024 Hungary ranked sixth in employment among both men and women, reflecting consistent growth since the country’s employment turnaround in 2010.
The Hungarian oil company MOL has announced that they discovered a new oil deposit 4,100 feet (1,250 metres) below ground in Western Hungary, near the village of Somogysámson. The deposit is able to produce up to 1,200 barrels of crude oil per day.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza, lasted for two months. Currently, 59 hostages are still awaiting their release as Israel has once again resorted to military action against the terrorist organization.
As the Trump administration reshapes transatlantic relations, Hungary has a unique opportunity to position itself as a key player in the new order.
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stated that Hungary firmly rejects Ukraine’s fast-track EU accession, especially if it comes at the expense of the Transcarpathian Hungarian community. For the past ten years, Kyiv has gradually curtailed the rights of national minorities, including Transcarpathian Hungarians.
‘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.’