Hungary has secured a US-backed ‘financial shield’ to protect its economy from external shocks, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said after meeting Donald Trump at the White House. He claimed that the European Commission’s ‘financial blackmail’ had become ineffective, adding that the US had promised to defend Hungary’s financial stability.
‘The Commission considered Ukraine’s support to be more important than the protests at the national and sectoral level in the Member States and therefore pushed through the amendment to the trade agreement…’
‘Our world has changed, the international order has transformed, and every actor is trying to adapt. With the end of unipolarity, the hegemony of liberal foreign policy also ended…Free trade has given way to protectionism; moralizing, value-centric diplomacy has given way to transactional realism. However, this recognition apparently eludes the European Union.’
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned that Europe is on the brink of a new arms race and drifting toward war, urging Hungary to remain on the side of peace while outlining his government’s economic plans, including pension reforms and wage programmes.
‘Belgium, where most of these Russian assets are held (by the Belgian financial institution, Euroclear), is strongly resisting the European Commission’s push to use them. It fears not only repercussions from Russia, but also the capital markets losing trust, which could have long-term consequences on third countries’ willingness to invest and keep their assets in Belgium, or in Europe, indeed.’
A ceasefire in Ukraine is possible only through intensified pressure on Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the EU summit in Brussels, calling for tougher sanctions, advanced air defense systems, and continued financial aid.
‘Taxpayers want European public funds to be used wisely. Supporting maternity and the family would be the most beneficial possible investment for Europe and its future.’
Hungary’s leading agricultural organizations, NAK and Magosz, strongly oppose the EU’s proposed free trade deal with Ukraine, warning that it threatens Europe’s food production, drives down prices, and poses serious food safety risks.
The Danube Institute hosted a high-level discussion on the EU’s future, where Balázs Hidvéghi, Stefano Arroque, Daniel Hinšt, and Péter Kruzslicz agreed that the bloc’s growing centralization has created a structural crisis. Speakers urged reform, respect for sovereignty, and a return to the principle of subsidiarity.
The HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network will host the 2026 annual conference of Academia Europaea in Budapest next October, providing a major opportunity to highlight Hungarian scientific achievements on an international platform.