Viktor Orbán at a press conference in Moscow

The Sources of Hungarian Conduct — Part II

‘Given the loss of security and economic credibility of the Western powers in 2008–2009 from a Central European perspective, and the serious economic and energy security challenges Hungary was facing at the time, it was an understandable and legitimate step to begin building pragmatic relations with Moscow 15 years ago and to set the stage for an eastward opening…’

Musk Takes on NED, Washington’s ‘Regime Change Machine’

Elon Musk takes aim at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a US government-funded NGO, calling it a ‘scam’ and ‘rife with corruption’. Established under Ronald Reagan, NED lost its original purpose after the fall of the Soviet Union and is widely seen as an extended arm of the CIA, interfering in the domestic affairs of foreign countries.

In Budapest, anti-communists and nationalists place a Hungarian national flag atop a demolished statue of Josef Stalin.

The Sources of Hungarian Conduct — Part I

‘After 20 years of left–liberal rule, Fidesz’s goal was to stimulate the creation of a much more balanced and pluralistic environment in all segments of society and a country less dependent on any form of foreign influence. In the eyes of ordinary Hungarians, none of the experiences described above called into question the benefits of EU and NATO membership or the conviction that Hungary’s place is in the West.’

Trump Admin Left EU on Read — And It Couldn’t Be Better

Despite desperate efforts to capture the attention of the new US administration, Donald Trump’s foreign policy team does not appear interested in engaging with the European Union as a bloc. Instead, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has prioritized bilateral discussions with individual member states. This approach offers European nations an opportunity to reclaim their sovereign foreign policy, which has increasingly been overshadowed and taken over by Brussels in recent years, often against their will.

‘Hop on the Trump train’ written in chalk on the pavement at Virginia Commonwealth University after the night of the 10 October 2016 presidential debate

What Trump’s Administrations Have Meant and Will Mean for Europe

‘Across various European nations conservative and right-wing parties have capitalized on issues like immigration, national identity, and dissatisfaction with traditional political establishments to gain substantial electoral support…without the epochal change on 6 November 2016 in the United States, these shifts in Europe would have taken much longer.’

Trump Cuts Off the Snake’s Head, Sidelines USAID Leadership

Donald Trump took an unexpected step on Monday by ordering dozens of senior officials at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to go on administrative leave. USAID has a long history of foreign interference under the pretext of providing aid, including significant grants to Hungarian anti-government media and government-critical NGOs.