‘Historically, wars are coups d’états in the interior of the political process. It’s usually invisible to outsiders and it usually doesn’t respond to outside activity. The war in Ukraine started with people who are non-historians reading the history of Russia, the way a non-historian is looking for something relevant today. So, whenever they think that they have some historical information, it’s always misinformation because it gets taken out of context.’

Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky drew attention to the fundamental change in the security situation in Europe and stressed that the military must demonstrate appropriate deterrence to ensure the safety of the Hungarian people. He emphasised that defence is something that concerns all Hungarians, and reiterated that the Hungarian Defence Forces welcome young people who want to join in the armed defence of the homeland.

Some EU member states are looking to abolish the veto power of smaller countries in the area of common foreign and security policies. They argue that this would speed up the process of passing laws, however, there are many hurdles to consider.

Since the beginning of the war, the Israeli government has consistently resisted pressure both the United States and Ukraine to supply arms to the beleaguered country, facing criticism as a consequence at home and abroad.

‘The huge potential of the Hungarian defence industry can unfold at the best possible time, as one of the recurring themes of EU defence ministerial discussions is that stocks are being depleted and there is insufficient capacity for after-market production.’

Regarding the war in Hungary’s neighbourhood, Hungary’s Minister of Defence reiterated that the country’s position has been clear from the beginning: to stay out of the war and pursue Hungary’s national interests.