‘As Francis’s tenure nears its close, we stand at a crossroads—what lies ahead? I pray for his renewed health, while recognizing the time has come—for Catholics, Christians of other traditions, non-believers, indeed all who cherish our shared Western civilization—to ponder and pray for the next pontiff. For the Church and the world now face trials that demand a steady hand to guide this succession’s course.’
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is travelling to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron for bilateral talks on Ukraine, as European leaders prepare for a decisive emergency summit on Thursday. While Europe has attempted to signal its readiness to fill the void left by Donald Trump’s halt on all military aid to Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to prefer Washington’s support.
‘There is a war in European territory that the elites ruling our continent do not seem eager to end. Its bureaucracy is ever-expanding and forcibly imposing its policies on sovereign peoples. The continent is being crushed by over-regulation, taxation, and centralization of the capital, means of production and decision-making by unelected individuals who are unaccountable for their actions.’
Bryan Lieb, who is in contention to become the next US Ambassador to Hungary, has met with a number of high-ranking figures in the Hungarian administration during his most recent visit to Budapest, including State Secretaries Tristan Azbej and Zoltán Kovács, as well as Minister Tibor Navracsics.
Senior US diplomat Robert Palladino will assume leadership of the US Embassy in Budapest as Chargé d’Affaires from 7 March. However, as stated in the embassy’s announcement, Palladino’s mandate is temporary, leaving the race open for the successor to former US Ambassador David Pressman—who will face the enormous task of repairing US–Hungary relations, which were severely damaged by Joe Biden’s envoy.
According to AtlasIntel, the most accurate pollster in the last three national US elections, President Trump is more popular among Americans than President Obama. Trump’s favourability stands at 50 per cent, while President Obama’s stands at 47 per cent.
‘It is true that it seemed as if both Trump and Vance berated Zelenskyy as if he were a child who refused to do his homework, saying that he was not grateful enough for U.S. aid. And I do not wish to exonerate their behavior, either, but one has to place things into context: it was Zelenskyy who sparked the fire.’
US President Donald Trump has moved to halt all military aid to Ukraine following a heated clash with his Ukrainian counterpart in the Oval Office on Friday. The decision comes as European leaders prepare to meet on Thursday to determine the EU’s strategy, with an overwhelming majority favouring continued military support over peace negotiations.
Hungary maintains regular dialogue with the US administration as it advocates for peace in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated, while warning of irreconcilable differences within the EU regarding the continuation of the war.
The Brutalist, the film about a Jewish Hungarian artist who flees to the US from the Holocaust, did not win Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars, as most Hungarian people most likely would have liked to see. Instead, Anora, a film about a Russian American stripper was awarded in the category. However, Adrien Brody playing the Hungarian protagonist in The Brutalist won the Best Actor award.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.
