Hungarian Conservative

During the handover ceremony, Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky highlighted that the war in Ukraine has demonstrated the necessity for every country to have a well-functioning defence industry capable of supplying the nation at all times and in all situations.

‘Bluntly, the war in Ukraine has unveiled the West’s ESG goals for the hypocrisy they are. The political and business leaders who promoted them are now caught up in their own contradictions,’ Khaled Abou Zahr has written in an opinion piece published by Arab News. The article highlights the contradictions between Western leaders’ warmongering statements and their promotion of green policies and a sustainable future.

In a joint interview with General Gábor Böröndi granted to Index, Hungary’s Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay- Bobrovniczky stressed that Hungary’s autonomous, truly deployable and combat-ready armed forces are key to the country’s defence, because if a member state does not have a strong military, NATO membership is not sufficient protection.

The Hungarian government stated in a mass email sent to citizens that it is not willing to take part in NATO’s reportedly planned mission in Ukraine, which would encompass military training and the coordination of arms shipments.

The minister recalled that the world has been facing direct threats of war for the past two years, and the renewed global competition among major powers has fundamentally changed the relationship between governments and citizens regarding security.

Conservatism is different in every nation, and so is approach to energy solutions. In this interview, Arvid Hallén, the founder of the only Swedish conservative think tank, Oikos, addresses these topics and also provides some background on Sweden’s NATO accession.

The minister underscored that strengthening ties with the United Arab Emirates, a significant economic and military power in the Gulf region, can complement Hungary’s defence development programme, whether it involves defence-oriented research, innovation, or the manufacturing of military equipment.

NATO accession, defending the countries of Central Europe, success in academia and standing up for one’s heritage. These topics interest many these days, and Joanna Siekiera is an expert on them. In this interview she discusses the ‘blocking’ of Swedish NATO accession, the influence of smaller EU countries globally, academia and cybersecurity.

Joanna Siekiera, Arvid Hallén, and Tamás Csiki Varga discussed how the European Union can and should be shaping its common defence policy in the wake of the emerging Russian threat, as well as what role NATO plays in European defence policy.

The Brazilian relationship is a valuable connection to an emerging power of the 21st century, without serious geopolitical cost attached.

New military tech test centres will be established in Hungary as part of NATO’s DIANA programme, the Hungarian Ministry of Defence has announced.

The Hungarian foreign minister appeared on a public radio programme on Sunday, and rebutted the statement by President Macron of France, per which he did not rule out deploying NATO troops in defence of Ukraine, pointing out that it is ‘diametrically opposed to joint decisions taken till now’.

In a rare show of good faith and positivity, US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman attended a joint exercise of American and Hungarian soldiers in Szentes, Hungary. At the event, he emphasized the importance of the military alliance between the two nations.

The Hungarian Ministry of Defence announced that due to Hungary’s increased involvement in foreign missions and the altered security environment, the Hungarian government has decided to procure an additional four JAS-39Cs to complement the current fleet of 14 Gripens.

Tensions are escalating between the political and military leadership in Ukraine, as press reports indicate that Volodymyr Zelenskyy attempted to dismiss Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny. The Ukrainian president’s room for manoeuvre seems to be diminishing, and he needs his European allies now more than ever to survive.

During her meetings, Katalin Novák expressed her support for the EU accession of West Balkan nations, visited the troops of the Hungarian-led EUFOR Althea mission, and discussed Hungary’s family support schemes.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky emphasized the critical question of how many Hungarian youths choose to contribute in some form to ‘the extremely important cause of the homeland’s armed defence’.

The Second Hungarian Army, during the autumn and winter of 1942, prepared to hold up the incoming Soviet offensive coming from the direction of Stalingrad. As the Germans lost the siege of the city in all but theory, it was practically sure that the Soviets would advance toward the River Don. Thus, the Hungarian troops were left to defend the bridgeheads from the Soviets, who outnumbered them seven to one.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has called for the creation of a common European army. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the question of how Europe can defend itself against the threats it faces has become increasingly pressing.

Major General László Sticz, who took over the post on 1 January, told M1 that NATO’s KFOR mission had a Hungarian commander in 2021. ‘Now a Hungarian general has been appointed to serve for the first time as commander of the EU mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina for a whole year,’ he said.

What started as a little bit of mischief by the young cadets in the US’s elite military academy West Point turned into a full-on mutiny. On the instigation of future Confederate President Jefferson Davis, the young military men snuck loads of alcohol into their barracks for a Christmas party in 1826—things got way out of hand fast…

The objective of the exercise is to test the military’s readiness for and response to an imagined situation threatening Hungary’s security. Another goal is to test the capabilities of the civilian public administration when it comes to troop movements and logistics, the Hungarian Defence Minister noted.

Turkey is an extremely important regional player in terms of security policy, and its voice is indispensable in international conflicts that risk the security of all of us, the Hungarian defence minister said after meeting his Turkish counterpart in Budapest.

‘What sacrifices would the Australian nation be prepared to make now? I suspect that we will have to make some, more than we have recently had to—sacrifices in treasure, at least, if we are to avoid having to make them in blood. Because dictatorships are on the march, not just here in Europe and in the Middle East, but in East Asia too, and the only way to see off aggressive bullies is to meet them with an equal measure of strength and determination.’

The Afghanistan War started exactly 22 years ago. Two years after it came to an end, our analysis looks back at the invasion and the botched nation-building, attempting to pinpoint the reasons of the ambitious project’s failure.

Two major NATO innovative bodies, the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) and the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), are holding their conferences in Budapest, Hungary this week. To mark the occasion, the Hungarian Ministry of Defence announced the hosting of the ‘NATO Innovation Week’.

Besides supporting EU’s EDIRPA and ASAP initiatives, Hungary has also been participating in joint capacity building and procurement programmes with France and Germany.

Although Hungary had already cooperated with the alliance during the Yugoslav wars, 9/11 was the first major event when the country had to demonstrate its commitment to the alliance and collective defence as a full-fledged member of NATO.

‘The time has come when the Hungarian Defence Forces are once again embracing this intellectual legacy, taking charge of preserving the Hussar tradition, allowing the Hungarian Hussar to finally find his way back to where the heroes’ memory is honoured with respect and appreciation,’ the Hungarian defence minister said at the biannual Hussar Gathering in Nyíregyháza.

‘And here we come. Our time has come because by becoming the meeting point of Eastern and Western investments, we provide a life insurance for Hungary, we provide a guarantee that in the coming years, Hungary will be the winner of the big global economic transformation that the automotive revolution dictates,’ Péter Szijjártó said.