A Russian missile strike on Mukachevo (Munkács) on 21 August injured 23 and marked the first hit on Transcarpathia in the war’s three years. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán pledged medical support from Hungarian hospitals and stressed that peace efforts must continue to protect ethnic Hungarians.
On 20 August, Hungary marked its 1025th anniversary as a state, commemorating St Stephen’s foundation of the Christian kingdom. Leaders worldwide—from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and EU Council President António Costa to Armenia’s Nikol Pashinyan and Gulf partners—extended congratulations.
‘Just days after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared a Zeitenwende—a historic turning point—in the Bundestag, pledging greater support for Ukraine and a significant strengthening of Germany’s armed forces…Yet, despite ambitious plans and ongoing modernization efforts, the proclaimed turning point fell short of delivering the sweeping, immediate changes…’
Alaska hosted more than a summit last Friday—it staged the funeral of the liberal order. Trump and Putin’s display of power buried the post-Cold War consensus, sidelined Europe, and offered Russia a new role in an emerging world order no longer defined by Western institutions.
‘From the middle of the 14th century, the Ottoman advance in the Balkans shifted the front line between Christianity and Islam to European territory. By 1390 Ottoman incursions had reached the southern borders of Hungary, marking the beginning of the Hungarian Kingdom’s defensive wars, which were supported to varying degrees by international forces, including France and Burgundy.’
‘In August 2025, the Oroszka Museum of Military History once again organized a commemoration of a major Second World War military operation, during which the battles along the River Garam were brought to life.’
Following their Alaska meeting, Trump and Putin said they had reached an agreement to be presented to Ukraine and NATO. Putin called it a step toward securing Ukraine’s safety, while Trump admitted significant points still need to be negotiated.
Trump and Putin’s Alaska summit aims to test the waters for a Ukraine ceasefire, with Russia pressing its advantage after fresh territorial gains. The US holds secondary tariff threats over Moscow, while the EU and Kyiv fight to keep their voice in any deal.
‘Bismarck’s campaign for a “good treaty” with Russia reflected the notion that antagonizing the Russians could be as disastrous as waking a bear from hibernation—an apt metaphor for what the U.S.–NATO expansionist approach eventually did…Bismarck emphasized the urgency of not only respecting Russia’s interests but also recognizing it as a crucial player on the global political stage…’
European leaders’ obsession with the Munich analogy ahead of the Trump–Putin summit is turning history into a political crutch. Leaders warn of appeasement, yet ignore the radically different context of today’s war, risking self-imposed irrelevance in peace talks and handing strategic advantage to Washington and Moscow.