‘Today the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Annunciation…34 years ago, on this day, was the death of a Catholic churchman who not only helped build Christendom in the then French-speaking part of Africa, but who was also an apostle against modernism and a champion for traditional Catholicism, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.’
As tensions rise in Bosnia and Herzegovina, European lawmakers are urging EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to impose sanctions on Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik. However, one of the 28 signatories of the letter sent to Kallas, Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva, expressed concern that such efforts could be blocked at the European Council level by Dodik’s long-time ally, Viktor Orbán.
‘Along with its growing prominence as a religious place, Jasna Góra also became known as a site of Poland’s struggle for its freedom and sovereignty. As Poland was fighting for its independence on multiple fronts, the monastery was one of few fortresses that stood against the Swedish invasion in the 17th century.’
‘On the day the US temporarily halted military aid to Ukraine, Kellogg delivered a speech at CFR in Washington, DC. He emphasized that Ukraine had several opportunities to sign the US–Ukraine $500 billion Minerals Deal, including during his visit to Kyiv on 19 February and during Zelenskyy’s last trip to Washington, which is unlikely to be remembered as a successful diplomatic effort.’
‘There is a historic chance for US–Hungary relations to peak, and it depends in no small part on the two leading players. Even though Hungary is a member of the EU and NATO, in the last two decades, American Democratic administrations have been explicitly hostile towards it…With the US president behind him, Orbán could be much more effective in strengthening his conservative agenda in Brussels, which until now has been an uphill struggle.’
Although the regime change in Syria raised hopes for the restoration of stability, the protection of religious minorities has still not been realized. The mass killings committed in recent times indicate that minority communities remain in grave danger, which calls for decisive action from the international community.
‘Hungary’s humanitarian and military aid to Lebanon can contribute to regional stability and it also reflects Hungary’s broader geopolitical interests, that is, a stable Lebanon for the sake of the Middle East—and also for Europe, which faces potential security and migration challenges.’
At a hearing for the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe of the US House of Representatives, Representative Sarah McBride of Delaware, a transgender woman, was referred to the Chairman as ‘Mr McBride’. In response, ranking member Bill Keating, a Democratic representative from Massachusetts, declared that the meeting could not go forward until McBride is introduced ‘the right way’.
‘Without the Balts, there was no real argument for denying other republics the right to exit. Without Ukraine, there was no basis for a Slavic-majority Soviet Union. After a couple of rounds of confused negotiations Moscow simply retreated, and left its imperial project for the time being. The Soviet Union dissolved on 25 December 1991, leaving behind only the Commonwealth of Independent States…’
Donald Trump is reportedly considering relocating some 35,000 US soldiers from Germany to Hungary. Viktor Orbán has long advocated for strengthening European defence and establishing a joint European army, while also fully meeting Hungary’s NATO commitments on defence spending. At the same time, Hungary remains the only EU country that shares the United States’ position on Ukraine. But how likely is this plan to materialize?