At the SCO summit in Tianjin, leaders from Russia, China, India and beyond gathered to deepen trade ties, challenge Western influence, and promote a new Eurasian vision. With Europe largely absent, and figures like Modi, Putin and Xi taking centre stage, the summit signalled a significant shift in global power dynamics.
Western media suggest Viktor Orbán could ‘climb down’ from Hungary’s veto on Ukraine’s EU bid after alleged pressure from Donald Trump. Yet officials stress the call itself is disputed—and insist accession would drag an open war into the EU, a step Hungary refuses to take.
As peace talks gain momentum, Russia demands Ukrainian neutrality and security guarantees from global powers, including UN Security Council members. China, despite denying plans for peacekeepers, remains open to diplomatic involvement, aligning with Xi Jinping’s earlier principles for ending the war.
‘A diplomatic solution is necessary to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. While the specifics are not yet fully developed, some plans are already publicly known.’
After the European Council meeting on the Alaska summit, Viktor Orbán argued that Brussels’ Ukraine strategy had collapsed—its isolation policy, battlefield expectations, and membership promises as security guarantee all failed. With Trump’s team eyeing Budapest as the venue for a potential Putin–Zelenskyy summit, Hungary’s influence in Europe could be significantly bolstered.
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.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó spoke with both Washington and Moscow after the Trump–Putin summit in Alaska, stressing Hungary’s consistent call for peace. As the only EU state briefed by both sides, Budapest now holds a unique insight into Russia’s real intentions regarding a potential ceasefire agreement.
‘Hungary chose sovereignty, and did so with courage. It’s sent a powerful message: The definition of who we are is ours to give. And in Europe, we need more Orbáns and fewer Macrons,’ Greek MEP Afroditi Latinopoulou told the audience at CPAC Hungary 2025 back in May. A clip of her speech was shared on X earlier this week and generated quite a bit of attention again.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary could cause Ukraine’s collapse within a day by cutting energy supplies but has no intention of doing so. He declared ‘Ukraine has lost the war, Russia has won,’ adding that only Western aid is delaying the inevitable.
‘This is significant because Hungary is uniquely positioned to be an asset to President Trump as he handles another crisis in the Indo-Pacific region: China and its continued threats to militarily invade Taiwan. Hungary is increasingly proving itself to be an indispensable country for China and its overall strategy in Europe, and is becoming increasingly important financially for Taiwan.’