Hungarian Conservative

The Ukrainian government is working on blacklisting 14 products by the Hungarian pharmaceutical company Richter. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó believes that this has no professional basis, only political, and spoke up against the planned bannings at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg.

With increasing international pressure, Ukraine is set to abandon its list of ‘international sponsors of the war’. For a significant period, this list featured the largest Hungarian bank, OTP, leading to considerable tension between Hungary and Ukraine.

‘Is Pope Francis correct to suggest that this is a war Ukraine cannot win, and so, it should start seeking a truce with Russia? Ending the war, even a ceasefire, is not an act of cowardice, especially when there is no end in sight.’

Following Emmanuel Macron’s statement on sending Western troops to Ukraine, NATO allies are distancing themselves from the French President. In the run-up to the European elections, radical pro-war rhetoric may have serious consequences—the case of the Hungarian opposition in the 2022 parliamentary elections is a cautionary tale.

‘If we disrupt the triple unity of competitiveness, preserving the quality of our created world, and ensuring food security, then the system will not be sustainable. Farmer protests draw attention to the fact that access to agricultural subsidies is too difficult, and with the prioritization of Ukrainian interests, European farmers feel that they are not receiving sufficient protection,’ Agriculture Minister István Nagy stated in a press briefing in Brussels.

While out on bond in August, Lira said in a YouTube video that if he is convicted, he would certainly perish in a Ukrainian labour camp. Tragically, he was wrong—he died while awaiting trial, in the captivity of the Zelenskyy regime.

‘In the capital city in particular, Ukrainians signal in a variety of small ways their desire to belong to the West. Kyiv could compete with any European capital when it comes to the number of EU flags seen on the streets. At European Square, not far from Maidan, in the middle of a roundabout the four-pointed star of NATO stands atop a metal pillar surrounded by a circle of Ukrainian and EU flags.’

The Biden administration has shifted its strategy in Ukraine; a Ukrainian victory is no longer a priority, and instead, Kyiv will be brought to the negotiating table. If, two years ago, the leaders in Washington and Brussels had heeded their common sense—or better yet, listened to the Hungarians—millions of lives could have been spared.

Recently, the Danube Institute co-hosted an event with Helena History Press where Danish author Jaap Scholten talked about his personal experiences while travelling throughout Ukraine in the first six months of the war.

It seems that even the most vocal supporters of energy sanctions do not want to give up Russian gas at all cost, which has led to some unusual but rather obvious solutions. Today, fossil fuels from Russia are being transported via proxies to pro-sanctions Western Europe. Also, despite loud promises, the vast majority of Western companies operating in Russia have not left the country at all, at least according to a Swiss study from 2022.

OTP Bank made several commitments regarding its future plans in the Russian market in an agreement concluded with the Ukrainian National Agency on Corruption Prevention, mediated by the European External Action Service. The Ukrainian authorities have removed the bank from the list of international sponsors of the war, and stated that now they expect OTP Bank ‘to promptly adhere to the agreement.’

In her remarks at the UN, the Hungarian President noted: ‘We know that peace can only become a real possibility when at least one party realized that the time for negotiations has come.’ She added: ‘We cannot decide on behalf of the Ukrainians how much sacrifice they are willing to make, but it is our duty to represent our nation’s desire for peace.’

Kyiv stayed true to its doubtful reputation and promised ‘appropriate responses’ to the three V4 countries extending their ban on Ukrainian agri-food imports. ‘If the decisions of our neighbours are not neighbourly, Ukraine will respond in a civilized manner,’ Zelensky said.

The next few weeks will show the true situation on the front: success in Ukraine will bring the war closer to its end; failure could result in a stand-off and the conflict dragging on for years.

After meeting with his Bulgarian, Slovak and Romanian counterparts to coordinate their joint stance on the extension of the ban on Ukrainian grain imports, István Nagy stated in a video that Hungarian farmers can count on the government to defend their interests.

‘The Maidan—‘the square’ as people refer to it—became a plaza of fallen heroes in 2014: pictures commemorating the 108 protestors killed by law enforcement during the Revolution of Dignity remind everyone that for Ukrainians the struggle for self-determination didn’t start in February 2022.’

The incompetence of the European Commission has caused enormous damage to the European farmer society. The huge quantity and uncontrolled flow of low-quality Ukrainian grain into the EU may even challenge the integrity of the common market.

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.

President Novák and President Zelenskyy engaged in a fruitful one-on-one in Kyiv, which may pave the way for more constructive bilateral relations.

The Ukrainian ombudsman informed Katalin Novák about the process of repatriating and rehabilitating children who were taken to Russia from the occupied territories. The Hungarian president reminded that Hungary is conducting its largest humanitarian action in history, with a particular focus on hosting Ukrainian children at various holiday resorts this summer.

‘The Ukrainian Puzzle: Hungary’s Perspective on a Changing Neighbour’ is a book that intends to present the Hungarian perspective on Ukraine to the Ukrainian and international public, arguing that this perspective has not changed ever since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1991. While it is hard to disagree with the main idea of the book, the methodology employed to convey it leaves something to be desired.

Lira was arrested and detained by Ukrainian authorities for allegedly producing Russian propaganda in late April. According to his claims, he was tortured in prison and was denied legal counsel. He was released on bail in July, and is now apparently attempting to reach Hungary to seek political asylum to avoid being sent to a prison labour camp for years.

Unlike ‘unitary’ bombs, cluster munitions are not single shells; instead, they consist of a dispersive mechanism that releases numerous grenade-like bomblets mid-air, designed to explode upon impact. However, many of these smaller submunitions fail to detonate upon landing, remaining in the ground for extended periods, posing a threat to the civilian populations be they farmers, children playing or any passers-by.

The nation celebrated at Tusványos, the Hungarian one, drapes over various states in the Carpathian Basin and consists of a plurality of ethnic and religious groups, fully including not just Christian Magyars but also Jews, Ungarndeutschen, and Roma with roots in the region. Foreign guests like me, who come from outside the Hungarian nation or family of nations, could also feel welcome, because, if devoid of chauvinism, nationhood offers fertile ground for inter-national solidarities and sympathies.

On 12 July, one day after the correction issued by the Ukrainian foreign ministry, some Ukrainian media, including the English language Kyiv Independent, were still posting articles about WizzAir having removed ‘a Ukrainian war veteran’ from its flight. Obviously, the fake news was too conveniently painting a negative picture of Hungary to be just let go by the unapologetically anti-Hungarian Ukrainian press.

Given Erdoğan’s pro-Ottoman policies, many were a bit surprised that the first to congratulate him in his victory, even two weeks before the runoff when he was projected as the frontrunner, was Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The paradox in this is that both are ardent defenders of their respective faiths that have historically been in conflict with each other.

In addition to the French initiative, Hungary has also joined the German-initiated Sky Shield programme, which will further enhance its capabilities through joint procurement.

Despite OTP’s continued support of Ukraine, the Ukrainian National Agency on Corruption Prevention has recently classified the Budapest-based bank as an ‘international war sponsor’ for not shutting down its Russian subsidiary.

While talking to reporters on his flight from Budapest to Vatican City, Pope Francis revealed that the Vatican is engaged in a ‘peace mission’, which he has discussed with Prime Minister Orbán and Bishop Hilarion in Budapest. The Kyiv government has made it clear that it does not approve of such an effort.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine to meet with President Zelenskyy, where he expressed his strong support for Ukraine’s accession to the military alliance. Viktor Orbán, who has been a vocal proponent of peace negotiations and is fully aware that such remarks are seen as a provocative move by Russia, took to Twitter to voice his strong dissent.