Hungary has lifted its veto on renewing sanctions against Russian individuals after striking a last-minute deal to remove four people from the list. The decision comes as the US intensifies pressure on Russia to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire deal, which Ukraine has already agreed to.
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó pointed out that the sudden shift of EU leaders on a potential ceasefire in Ukraine is ‘politically ridiculous’ and highlights their lack of credibility. However, it also raises the question of responsibility for Brussels’ failed strategy over the past three years.
After Kyiv expressed readiness for an immediate ceasefire following US–Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia, EU leaders issued statements suggesting—or even claiming—that they had always been working toward peace. However, as the lone voice advocating for peace within the EU for a long time, Hungary knows precisely that Brussels has done quite the opposite over the past three years. Our commentary.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is travelling to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron for bilateral talks on Ukraine, as European leaders prepare for a decisive emergency summit on Thursday. While Europe has attempted to signal its readiness to fill the void left by Donald Trump’s halt on all military aid to Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to prefer Washington’s support.
‘It is true that it seemed as if both Trump and Vance berated Zelenskyy as if he were a child who refused to do his homework, saying that he was not grateful enough for U.S. aid. And I do not wish to exonerate their behavior, either, but one has to place things into context: it was Zelenskyy who sparked the fire.’
US President Donald Trump has moved to halt all military aid to Ukraine following a heated clash with his Ukrainian counterpart in the Oval Office on Friday. The decision comes as European leaders prepare to meet on Thursday to determine the EU’s strategy, with an overwhelming majority favouring continued military support over peace negotiations.
‘Why then would the U.S. now wish to abandon to uphold and defend the sovereign rights of a free country? Quite simply, because the Ukrainians do not have the manpower anymore to fend off Russian forces, let alone the political clout to regain its lost territories, including Crimea, regardless of European support.’
US President Donald Trump has expressed approval of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s possible visit to Washington on Friday to sign a US–Ukraine economic partnership agreement. Calling it a ‘major deal’, Trump emphasized its significance, particularly regarding rare minerals and broader economic cooperation.
Washington and Kyiv have finally come to an agreement on the joint extraction of critical resources, including rare earth minerals from Ukraine’s reserves. While the exact terms of the deal remain unknown, it could represent a significant step towards reducing American dependence on Chinese imports of the most essential resources of the future.
‘As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, the world faces an entirely new reality. A reality where Russia and Putin are no longer portrayed as the greatest evil. A reality where diplomacy is once again regarded as the primary tool for resolving disputes between nations. A reality where the end of the conflict could be within arm’s reach. And a reality where, unfortunately, Ukraine and Europe appear increasingly irrelevant.’