Chinese Mercenaries in Ukraine? Beijing Rejects Zelenskyy’s Claim

China rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claim of large-scale Chinese military involvement on Russia’s side on Wednesday. Kyiv announced on Tuesday that two Chinese citizens had been captured in Donetsk and suggested that there could be ‘many more’ fighting against Ukrainian forces.

Hungary–Serbia Historic Cooperation Is on the Table, Expert Says

Tamás Bernáth, researcher and lecturer at the MCC School of Economics, has recently appeared on the Hungarian news channel HírTV to discuss the new crude oil pipeline being built between Hungary and Serbia; as well as a defence agreement reportedly in the planning between the two nations and its implications.

AfD Polls Record High as Merz and CDU Betray Voters

Alternative für Deutschland reaches record-high support, matching the election-winning CDU, according to an INSA–Bild poll published on Monday. The surge comes as Germany’s soon-to-be Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, faces backlash for turning on his own voters on key issues such as migration and fiscal policy.

Human Rights NGOs Rally Behind Hamas to Punish Hungary for ICC Exit

Human rights NGOs such as Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights joined Hamas in expressing their outrage over Hungary’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court and to refuse the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They also called on the European Union to revoke Hungary’s voting rights.

Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder, The Garden of Eden with the Fall of Man (1615). Mauritshuis, The Hague, The Netherlands

A Prudent Response to a Continent Going Mad

‘Orbán and the Fidesz leadership are seeking lasting change to Hungarian politics and culture. They recognize that pro-life and pro-family issues are not just legal disputes; they are culture-wide struggles, and they must be addressed as such. Hungarian conservatives are not surrendering on these issues, and they are not acting recklessly…the Orbán government’s family policies are prudent.’

Estonia FM: ‘Hungary is part of Putin’s team’

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna of Estonia has called Hungary ‘a very weak country’ that is ‘part of Putin’s team’ in inflammatory statements made during a recent interview with the German paper Rheinische Post. He also reiterated his wish to strip Hungary of its voting rights in the Council of the EU.

EU Directive Aims to Bail Out Foreign-Funded NGOs After USAID Fall

As USAID’s activities—and its shady tactics of foreign interference—are increasingly becoming just a bad memory, the European Union is stepping in to bail out the network of NGOs previously funded by the American federal agency. Through a new directive, Brussels plans to establish so-called European Cross-Border Associations, which would provide foreign-funded NGOs with a protective shield.

Trump Pushes France to ‘Free Le Pen’ – And Why He’s (Mostly) Right

US President Donald Trump has joined the chorus of right-wing leaders around the world in condemning the conviction of French opposition figure Marine Le Pen and calling for a fair trial. What makes the case appear even more politically compromised is the role of Richard Ferrand, President of the French Constitutional Council and a close ally of Emmanuel Macron—who himself has faced legal proceedings related to corruption in the past.