What are Russia’s minimum objectives for demonstrating victory? What will happen to Gaza? How can the West persuade Central Asia to cooperate with the US and Europe? We asked a former senior director at the National Security Council in George W Bush’s White House for a year-end analysis of the world’s three major geopolitical conflicts.
Western media spent the week circulating baseless claims about Hungary, from a fake ‘longer’ US security strategy urging EU exit to Bloomberg’s allegation that Viktor Orbán plans to replace parliamentary democracy. The narratives appear designed to damage the government ahead of 2026.
Central Asia’s growing role in global critical-mineral supply chains was discussed at the launch of the Danube Institute’s Turkic–Western Engagement Initiative, where experts highlighted the Middle Corridor’s rise, China’s tightening grip on strategic resources, and Hungary’s opportunity to shape Western engagement.
‘If the countries of Europe truly fear abandonment by the United States, they should first and foremost invest in their own security.’
‘Unless NATO can produce a credible plan to remain relevant in a world that is changing dramatically—geopolitically and technologically—it risks falling apart under the weight of its own irrelevance.’
‘The legacy of Klára Andrássy is one of turning the Andrássy Palace into an open centre of anti-Nazi resistance.’
‘Europeans occasionally refer to the United States as the “Fourth Rome”, yet within American discourse, the designation is simply the “New Rome”, implying direct succession to the Urbs Aeterna.’
The group stage draw for FIFA World Cup 2026, held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, has been made, with the help of US President Donald Trump. England v Croatia, Kylian Mbappé’s France v Erling Haaland’s Norway, Brazil v Morocco, and many other exciting fixtures are on the schedule for next year’s tournament.
Urban green spaces and botanical gardens are becoming increasingly essential as climate change intensifies the pressure on cities. Botanist László Orlóci told former President János Áder’s Blue Planet podcast that urban ecosystems now face both health and environmental challenges.
What is the nature of the relationship between Hungary, Japan, and the US? Is ‘woke’ a significant issue in Japan? What does Japan do to counterbalance the influence of China in the Pacific? We spoke to a former Special Advisor to PM Shinzo Abe about the geopolitical turbulence surrounding Japan.