Displaying items by tag: hungary

With elections due to take place on 12 April, Viktor Orbán is facing a significant challenge after sixteen years in power, as opposition leader Péter Magyar is well ahead in most opinion polls. While visiting Budapest, JD Vance has publicly expressed support for Orbán, while sharply criticising the EU. He also repeated unsubstantiated claims that Kyiv had become involved in the election campaign. Orbán recently accused Ukraine of a ‘terror attack’ when Serbia announced that explosives had been found near a gas pipeline, but Magyar claims that this was staged to boost Orbán’s chances of re-election. Considerable attention is being paid to the country’s difficulties in accessing oil and gas, and also to Orbán’s close ties with both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Recent scandals appear to have dented his popularity: private telephone conversations have been leaked between foreign minister Szijjártó and top Russian officials, and transcripts suggest that he regularly informs them about confidential discussions at EU summits. The outcome of the election is likely to shape Hungary’s future role within Europe, as well as its domestic political landscape.

Tensions have risen between Hungary and Ukraine ahead of Hungary’s upcoming parliamentary election on 12 April. Viktor Orbán has accused Ukraine of attempting to influence the vote and even preparing hostile actions against his country. Ukrainian officials reject the claims, saying the accusations are part of a political campaign intended to rally support for Orbán’s Fidesz party, which currently is behind in the polls. Meanwhile, reports suggest a Kremlin-linked group may also be planning disinformation efforts aimed at influencing Hungarian public opinion. A key issue in the dispute is the disruption of oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline after Russian drone strikes damaged infrastructure in western Ukraine in January. Orbán claims that the pipeline is intact and that Ukraine is deliberately withholding supplies, a claim rejected by  Ukrainian officials. Campaign messaging inside Hungary has increasingly focused on the war and fears of wider conflict.

Tensions flared in Brussels as Hungary vetoed both an emergency EU loan for Ukraine and a new sanctions package against Russia. Foreign minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukraine of disrupting oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline for political reasons and alleged misleading statements. Ukraine maintains the pipeline was damaged by a Russian drone strike and says repairs are complicated by ongoing attacks. The dispute left financial aid and punitive measures in limbo, frustrating member states supportive of Kyiv. Slovakia aligned with Hungary, intensifying divisions. Critics, who argue that repeated vetoes risk paralysing EU decision-making, have revived debate over reforming unanimity rules. With Hungary facing a heated domestic election campaign, some diplomats believe the standoff is as much political as technical. Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen insists that support for Ukraine will continue despite internal discord.

Donald Trump has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas purchases, marking a diplomatic win for Viktor Orbán. The move followed Orbán’s visit to Washington, where Trump expressed sympathy for Hungary’s dependence on Russian energy as a landlocked nation. The decision contrasts sharply with Trump’s recent threats to penalise countries doing business with sanctioned Russian energy firms. In return, Hungary agreed to buy hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of US natural gas. While the arrangement may ease Hungary’s energy pressures, it risks deepening tensions within the EU, where many leaders oppose Orbán’s continued cooperation with Moscow. Trump praised Orbán’s leadership and hinted at shared goals for ending the war in Ukraine, underscoring their close personal and political alliance amid growing divisions over energy, sanctions, and peace strategy in Europe.

Benjamin Netanyahu has praised Hungary for its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) during a four-day visit to Budapest, marking a rare foreign trip for him since the ICC issued an arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Prime minister Viktor Orban, a staunch ally of Netanyahu, condemned the ICC's warrant as politically motivated and announced Hungary's intention to leave the court. Israel has also rejected the ICC’s accusations, arguing that they were driven by antisemitism and undermined Israel's right to self-defence. Hungary, as a founding member of the ICC, is still technically bound by its commitments; the process of withdrawal will take about a year. Other European countries are split on the validity of the warrant: some have expressed legal doubts. Netanyahu left on 6 April for Washington: the USA is not a member of the ICC, and neither are China or Russia.

In a fiery speech commemorating the 1956 uprising, Viktor Orbán has accused the EU of plotting to topple his government and install a ‘puppet regime’. He compared past occupations of Hungary by the Ottoman Empire and the Soviet Union to current tensions with the EU. He also claimed the EU is pushing Hungary into Russia's war in Ukraine, criticising Brussels' support for Kyiv. Hungary has repeatedly blocked or diluted EU sanctions on Russia and aid to Ukraine, aligning itself closer to Moscow. Also, Orban’s government has recently been fined €200 million by the European Court of Justice for ‘unprecedented and exceptionally serious breach of EU law’ because of the country's strong restrictions on the right to asylum.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has sharply criticised Hungary's foreign policies, accusing Viktor Orban of endangering European security. In a speech to the European parliament, she took aim at Hungary's reluctance to support Ukraine in its war with Russia and its growing relationships with Russia and China. She said that Orban's government is weakening EU unity by easing visa restrictions for Russians and Belarusians, and allowing Chinese police to operate in Hungary. Von der Leyen also stressed the dangers of Hungary’s continued reliance on Russian energy and its failure to align with EU energy security measures. Orban, in response, defended his policies, calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and rejecting any comparison between Ukraine's current situation and Hungary’s 1956 uprising against Soviet rule.

In his first visit to Ukraine for ten years, Viktor Orban has called for a ceasefire. A longstanding critic of Western military aid to Ukraine, he suggested that a swift ceasefire could expedite peace talks. He also expressed a desire to improve ties with Ukraine and offered economic assistance. Zelensky appreciated his visit, but stressed the need for a ‘just peace’ after over two years of fighting. Orban’s visit coincides with Hungary’s assumption of the EU presidency, which has raised concerns due to Budapest’s warm ties with Moscow. In the past, Hungary has accused Ukraine of curbing the rights of ethnic Hungarians, which Kyiv denies. Zelensky has recently said he is preparing a comprehensive plan for ending the war.

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte is set to become the next NATO secretary-general after Hungary lifted its veto, following a letter from Rutte to Viktor Orbán. The letter promised Orbán that, as NATO head, Rutte would not deploy Hungarian troops or use its funds to support Ukraine. The current secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, says the selection process will conclude ‘very soon’. Orbán posted the letter on social media, confirming Rutte’s commitment to the agreement. Rutte acknowledged past remarks which had caused dissatisfaction in Hungary and reassured Orbán of his respect for the deal made between Stoltenberg and Orbán in Budapest. His confirmation depends on consensus among all NATO members; with the veto lifted, he is now poised to succeed Stoltenberg.

Hungary's ruling party, Fidesz, has submitted a resolution opposing Ukraine's accession talks with the European Union (EU). Fidesz, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, cited concerns about the treatment of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine, particularly regarding language rights and education. The resolution calls for a halt to Ukraine's EU accession process until these issues are resolved. Hungary has been critical of Ukraine's policies towards its Hungarian minority for years, and this move adds to the ongoing tensions between the two countries. Ukraine has been seeking closer ties with the EU, but Hungary's opposition could complicate those efforts. On 7 December, Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff called for a meeting between Orban and Zelensky, in an attempt to resolve the problem before next week’s meeting of EU states.