Hungary will not decide on any further funding for arms or anything related to Ukraine until it receives ‘a detailed, clear account of how the approximately 50-70 billion euros sent to Ukraine so far have been spent,’ Minister Szijjártó nailed down this morning, before he left for the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Toledo, Spain.
The new ambassador to Hungary, Sándor Fegyir (in Ukrainian: Федір Федорович Шандор) was born in Ungvár (Uzhorod) into a Hungarian Ukrainian family in 1975. A sociologist and university professor, he volunteered to fight for his country when Ukraine was invaded by Russia, and he has been on the front ever since as the leader of the so-called ‘Tanscarpathian Dragons’ unit.
According to Minister Szijjártó, Hungary has undoubtedly become a leader in the continuously advancing automotive industry transformation, and the city of Debrecen has turned into an important global centre for the sector.
While differing perspectives persist on the most suitable approach to drug policy, Hungary’s firm commitment to a conservative approach by combining enforcement and treatment remains essential for addressing drug-related issues effectively. Probably not unrelatedly, the country is one of the safest in the EU according to the Economic Global Peace Index.
The energy cooperation between the two countries will gain a new dimension as gas supplies will soon also originate directly from Turkey, following the finalisation of an agreement between MVM and Botas for the purchase of 275 million cubic metres of gas next year.
The recent military coup in the West African nation of Niger has thrown the country into turmoil. The forcefully ousted President Bazoum is currently under ‘house arrest’, but he managed to publish an opinion piece in The Washington Post. One Hungarian citizen was successfully evacuated last week through a rescue mission organised by the Italian military.
It is quite clear that the Ukrainians would have never survived this long against the Russian aggression without the financial and military assistance of the US. Yet the Biden administration has thus far offered no strategic argument on behalf of the costs and risks, let alone what is the overall end objective of the war.
‘Could Biden’s token [of shaking hands only with Orbán when arriving for the NATO group photo in Vilnius], as some experts suspect, have been an invitation to the Hungarian government to hop on board the US geopolitical bandwagon and forget the Chinese and Russian ones?’
The minister recalled that the Factory Rescue Programme was launched by the government following the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, to enable domestic companies to strengthen their independence from the highly unpredictable fluctuations of international energy markets and to preserve jobs and maintain economic performance.
The embassies of the United States, Germany, Slovakia, and 35 other nations have put out a joint statement ahead of the Budapest Pride March, condemning the Hungarian government for allegedly not protecting the rights of LGBTQ people in the country. US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman was also present at the March, where also gave yet another critical speech.