Balázs Orbán, the political director to the Hungarian prime minister, has penned a detailed opinion piece on the achievements of the Hungarian EU presidency thus far. And there have been plenty: the successful hosting of two Budapest summits, the adoption of the Budapest Declaration, and the expansion of the pro-peace camp—all of which Hungary has influenced directly or indirectly.
European countries purchase significant amounts of American weapon systems and military equipment, making US companies the main beneficiaries of the increased defence budgets within NATO. This situation creates tensions and a fragmented will within the EU in processes aimed at strengthening the independence and competitiveness of the European defence industry. It also raises the question of whether Washington’s primary goal is the collective defence of the allies or the profit maximization of American arms manufacturers.
‘I have never been to a summit where such a sharp and intense political discourse was generated,’ Hungarian EU Affairs Minister Jánós Bóka said in an interview with Magyar Nemzet. Bóka also revealed that the long-term goal for the future of the European Political Community is for it to become a platform for the European security system.
Political director to Hungary’s Prime Minister Balázs Orbán highlighted the potential economic benefits of a Trump-led US administration, emphasized EU reforms, and detailed Hungary’s vision for boosting competitiveness and fostering global partnerships.
One of the most pressing issues in enhancing the competitiveness of Europe is the need to optimize defence spending. Europeans now spend much more on defence in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, with ten European NATO members set to reach the 2 per cent of GDP spending threshold by the end of 2024. However, developing and acquiring modern weapon systems of cutting-edge technology demand an exponential level of spending for development and production, which can hamstring the capabilities of nation-states if they want to fit out their armies fully with domestically produced equipment, from building tools to jet fighters.
‘It is a strange tale to trace how the first communist group was dominated by Italian communists who cut their teeth in the partisan resistance forces whilst the largest Italian delegation in its present-day incarnation is mostly made up of MEPs from a party which until recently could not decide whether they were right-wing populist Eurosceptics or liberal Eurofederalists.’
At the informal European Council meeting in Hungary, the leaders of the member states adopted the Budapest Declaration, which focuses on measures to boos the EU’s competitiveness. The decision was announced by Viktor Orbán, who highlighted that there is a strong consensus on the need to ‘make Europe great again’.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán inaugurated the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Budapest, highlighting the unprecedented diplomatic scale of the event in Hungary’s history. He underscored the security, migration, and economic challenges Europe faces, as well as the significance of the US presidential election for transatlantic relations.
This week, the largest diplomatic event in Hungary’s history, the European Political Community (EPC) Summit, takes place in Budapest. The meeting will be unusual in several respects: the leaders of the states are convening just two days after the US presidential election, which could significantly influence the focus of the issues discussed.
The European Commission’s aviation safety agency EASA’s conference was hosted in Budapest, Hungary under the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The emphasis was placed on the essential impact of human factors in ensuring safe operations at the event; as well as the aviation industry’s long-term challenges, such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI).