At Ludovika University, experts including former Ambassador Réka Szemerkényi and former US Assistant Secretary Philip T Reeker discussed the present and future of US–Hungary relations. Topics included strong historical ties, NATO cooperation, economic partnerships, and shared values. Panels also addressed investment, the war in Ukraine, and cultural exchange programmes.
‘[Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s] 1984 visit was more significant than anyone might imagine today…suddenly, we had this very well-known, very characteristic Western leader visiting Hungary—specifically Budapest—and walking around like a normal human being. That had a real impact. And of course, the Great Market Hall visit was key to these memories.’
Nóra Lakos’s family film I Accidentally Wrote a Book collected seven international awards over the weekend in Germany, Poland, and Denmark, further cementing its status as Hungary’s most successful live-action family movie in decades.
‘With the raging war in Ukraine, Russia’s recent incursions into NATO airspace in Poland, Estonia, and Denmark, and the rising worries of war in the Pacific, one would probably imagine that the tone of the conference would be somber and serious. However, it was anything but.’
‘Across Europe, establishment forces increasingly block ballot access to maintain liberalism’s tight grip.’
The right-wing ANO party, led by Former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, won by far the most seats (80) and the largest share of the popular vote (34.5 per cent) in the Czech parliamentary election held this weekend. However, they still need to find coalition partners to form a government. During his first term in office, PM Babiš had a close relationship with PM Viktor Orbán of Hungary.
‘The central allegation is that Pegasus was acquired illegally…In 2017 Deputy Minister of Justice Michał Woś transferred funds from the Justice Fund to the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA). The opposition and the Supreme Audit Office deemed this unlawful, claiming that the CBA may only receive money from the state budget. However, there is no legal basis for such exclusivity…’
What tools of pressure does Trump have to deploy against Russia if diplomacy fails? Is the United States’ support for Israel infinite? Could Hungary switch from Russian energy to American? What is the future of Europe? We asked former United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie about Trump’s three unresolved geopolitical games.
‘Politically-involved people in the West will encounter different problems in their own national landscapes, but they may find they have a lot to learn from the failures, successes and general proceedings in other countries.’
‘This is precisely the power of diplomacy. Minsk’s example demonstrates that authoritarian regimes respond to smart diplomacy. The leaders of such countries also react to incentives—be it better trade deals or a bit of international spotlight.’