Hungary will attend the Ukraine peace summit due to start on June 15 in Switzerland at the foreign ministerial level, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in St. Petersburg on Thursday, adding that the government regretted that the summit will not be attended by both warring sides.
Szijjártósaid Hungary’s participation at the peace conference was driven by the country’s “absolute position on the side of peace”, and it attended all events where peace was on the agenda.
At the same time, he expressed his regret that the conference would be held without the participation of Russia. Hungary, he said, believed that a real result could only be expected if both sides were sat at the negotiating table.
This will not be the case this time, he said, according to a ministry statement, adding, however, that Hungary respected Switzerland’s efforts and will attend the conference at the foreign ministerial level.
Szijjártó later spoke at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum about the need to broker peace as soon as possible and the negative consequences of the war in Ukraine.
“We urge and pray for an immediate ceasefire,” Szijjártó said. “We urge and pray for peace talks to take place because we do believe that under peaceful circumstances we might be able to develop much quicker and much more smoothly, and life will again be calmer and more peaceful in Europe if we can put peace in the forefront of international politics.”
Hungary welcomes the statement signed by Brazil and China on how to resolve the war in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in St Petersburg on Thursday, saying the statement promoted peace in the country, which was in Hungary’s interest.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Szijjártósaid the statement signed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Celso Amorim, the Brazilian president’s chief adviser on foreign policy, was a step forward because it addressed ways to promote peace. “Therefore we welcome, appreciate and value this common statement,” he said.
He said Hungary’s government agreed that the solution could not be found on the battlefield and could only be brought about through negotiations.
Szijjártó said the government was concerned by the statements by some European leaders on the possible use of nuclear weapons. “We do hope that no one is going to think about it seriously.”
“We also agree with the approach that nuclear energy facilities need to be protected,” Szijjarto Szijjártó said. Cooperation in nuclear energy is not subject to European Union sanctions and Hungary’s government will reject any restrictions in the sector, he said.
Hungary’s energy needs, he added, could only be met with nuclear energy in the mix, noting that its Paks plant is fueled by Russian fuel, “which is thus key to a safe energy supply”, he said.
“It is not only that we do not support sanctions; we are interested in further improving our nuclear cooperation with Russia,” he said.
The government considers all measures that could jeopardise the security of Hungary’s energy supply “attacks on our national sovereignty”, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said in St. Petersburg on Thursday.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the minister noted that Hungary was among the European states whose energy supply was hit the hardest by the consequences of the war in Ukraine. In the long term, this has also had the effect that “the issue of energy supply has become a hostage of political and ideological debates,” he added.
Szijjártósaid that “regardless of all the pressure”, Hungary still refused to consider energy “a political or ideological issue”. “For us, energy supply is a practical question,” he said, adding that the government would not give up well-functioning partnerships, and “based on the physical reality and based on the infrastructure”, Hungary would not be able to import enough energy without Russian oil and gas.
Szijjártó in Russia:
The minister said Hungary had not received “any offer from anyone who would deliver the same volume of gas or oil according to the same schedule on the same level of reliability at the same price”.
“And as long as there’s no such offer, no one has the moral right to put pressure on us to cut our relationships and change to other sources,” he said.
Szijjártó pointed out that all projects that would have allowed such a switch-over have been cancelled or postponed, citing the cancellation of Western companies’ plans to start extracting natural gas from offshore fields in Romania. Meanwhile, Croatia, instead of expanding the capacity of its gas pipeline, has increased transit fees fivefold, he said.
He emphasised that the matter of the composition of the energy mix was a matter of national sovereignty, and the Hungarian government’s decisions on energy matters were determined solely by its aim to guarantee the country’s secure energy supply.
He noted that Hungary needs 8 million tonnes of crude a year, 90 percent of which is covered from imports, and 70-80 percent of this comes from Russia. For natural gas, Hungary’s annual demand is 8.5 billion cubic metres, 80 percent of which comes from imports, including 70-80 percent from Russia.
“And the stability of this delivery is a core national interest of ours,” Szijjártó said. “Therefore we reject all international proposals, actions and decisions which would limit or restrict or worsen the security and the stability of these deliveries.”
He said this was why the government did not support the European Union’s energy sanctions and rejected all customs duties on energy resources.
The Russian retail chain Mere is set to launch in Hungary, with preparations well underway for the opening of its first store. Although there are numerous uncertainties, Mere’s entry could pose a significant challenge to established discount giants like Lidl and Aldi.
According to market sources cited by Világgazdaság, Mere’s plans to enter the Hungarian market are genuine, and the company is actively preparing for its initial store openings. The question remains whether these efforts will culminate in successful store launches, but the commitment is evident.
Mere’s news originally met with scepticism
Photo: mere.ws
On 1 April, Hungarian media widely reported that the Russian discount chain Mere planned to enter the local market, with detailed investment plans. The ambitious goal was to open twenty stores in Budapest and its suburbs within a year and expand to 200 stores within three years, achieving a turnover of EUR 700 million. These figures seemed optimistic, considering that it took Lidl around 15 years to reach a similar scale in Hungary. Mere’s plans also raised doubts as the company had not previously engaged with government or industry stakeholders.
However, new credible information confirms Mere’s serious intent to expand in Hungary, with advanced negotiations for specific store locations. Despite the challenges, the Russian chain aims to establish 15 stores in Hungary over three phases, each phase comprising five stores. The company’s strategy will be to monitor customer reception before further expansion, initially targeting Budapest and its surrounding areas, followed by major cities and eventually smaller towns.
The Russian chain’s entry into Hungary had been planned before the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed the initiative. The project was revived in the second half of 2023. Currently, the company employs around twenty people responsible for store openings, administration, and procurement. Their progress in securing supplies has been notable, despite operating under modest conditions.
The founders anticipated a smooth entry into the Hungarian market, similar to their experience in Serbia, but they misjudged the complexities. The planned opening dates have been postponed multiple times, with the latest target being the end of May. Despite these setbacks, Mere is determined to succeed and does not intend to abandon its plans.
When and where will the chain open its first store?
Photo: mere.ws
According to Világgazdaság, preparations are ongoing on two fronts:
Regulatory Approval: Mere is finalising a substantial documentation package required for store opening permits. Due to the “plaza stop” regulation, exemptions must be granted by the Hajdú-Bihar County Government Office, which oversees larger commercial building projects. A decision on Mere’s permit could be made by the end of summer.
Lease Negotiations: Mere is negotiating leases for existing properties rather than constructing new buildings. They are seeking large, cost-effective warehouses around 1,000 square meters, suitable for their pallet-based inventory. Progress has been slow but steady, with near-finalised lease agreements for locations in Budapest’s 4th district (Újpest), Vác, and Szeged. If all goes as planned, the first Mere store in Újpest could open by late 2024, pending necessary permits.
What will they sell in Hungary?
The discount chain in Serbia. Photo: depositphotos.com
The chain will introduce a new retail model in Hungary, distinct from Lidl or Aldi. The stores will be less convenient, primarily accessible by car, but offer prices up to 30% lower by maintaining a slim 15% profit margin compared to the usual 45-60% in retail.
Regarding product offerings, Mere will not stock international items like Latvian salmon, Lithuanian sausage, or Polish sunflower oil that have appeared in Western European outlets. Instead, the Hungarian stores will feature around 500 products, with 80% sourced from well-established Hungarian suppliers. The remaining products will likely come from local producers who have not yet penetrated major retail chains.
The discount chain’s business model is designed to appeal to Hungary’s price-sensitive consumers. However, to compete effectively with Lidl and Aldi, Mere will need to operate reliably and expand steadily. Whether they can achieve this remains to be seen.
Russia carried out a missile and drone attack against Ukrainian targets over the weekend. Some of the Russian missiles flew over Transcarpathia, Ukraine’s westernmost region inhabited by tens of thousands of ethnic Hungarians.
Tens of thousands of Hungarians in danger due to Russian missiles?
According to Telex, the Russian army carried out another large missile and drone attack against several Ukrainian military and civilian targets. One of them was the civic infrastructure of Stryi, close to Lviv, in the country’s Western region.
The missiles were probably fired from Russian military ships on the Black Sea. According to Telex, the aim of the missile attack was to test Ukraine’s air defence, which even President Zelensky admits to be incomplete.
Thankfully, it happened only a few times that Russian missiles entered the airspace of Transcarpathia. Even though the economic hardships and the Russian invasion made many Hungarians flee their homeland, the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia is still present. According to estimates, the number of ethnic Hungarians living in Transcarpathia is still around 70-80 thousand.
There is no report about any Russian missiles hitting Transcarpathia this weekend.
The first and still only Russian missile attack against Transcarpathia took place in May 2022. The target was the railway station of Volóc (Volovec) at the Eastern border of the region.
PM Orbán campaigns for peace in Ukraine
PM Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz organised a large peace march yesterday in Budapest. The Hungarian prime minister waited for the marchers on Margaret Island. Orbán burst out in tears when he saw the support of his fans. In his speech, he talked about how Fidesz would like to win the 2024 EP elections.
But the main point of his speech was the ongoing war in Ukraine. He said Hungarians are on the side of peace and highlighted each vote cast on Fidesz saves a life because Fidesz is part of the “peace block” and would block the EU or NATO from entering the war against Russia. Therefore, he gave an incredible stake in the upcoming elections: war or peace, life or death.
Ukraine badly needs Western support
According to G7, Orbán blocked payouts for Ukraine from the European Peace Facility. Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, complained this week that his colleagues raised their voices at him because of Hungary’s stance concerning the payouts for Ukraine.
Ukraine badly needs Western help. The Russian attack in Kharkiv is successful. To make matters worse, the country approaches the verge of its performance limit. American aid is hindered by domestic fights and the presidential elections.
According to the Hungarian news outlet, the reason behind Orbán’s blocks might be the fact that he would like to get more from the frozen EU funds for Hungary. Billions of euros are at stake, which Hungary cannot get due to rule of law concerns.
Others believe that is how Orbán supports his pal, President Putin. Other analysts believe he plays for time because he believes in his and his allies’ victory in the EP elections on 9 June.
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PM Orbán wants Hungary to be a non-participant in NATO: will Budapest be expelled? – Read our article HERE
List leaders of opposition parties in the European Parliament election responded to a speech by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered at the Peace March in Budapest on Saturday.
In a statement, Klára Dobrev, the EP list leader of DK-MSZP-Párbeszéd, called Orbán “the only pro-war politician in Europe” and said he had signed a “dirty deal” with Russian President Vladimir Putin on gas that required Hungarians to pay “the highest gas prices in Europe”.
“Viktor Orbán is financing Putin’s war in Ukraine with Hungarian money,” she added.
Anna Donáth, the head of Momentum, said Orbán had “taken a stand for Russia’s total victory and Ukraine’s defeat behind a peace banner”. Anybody who is pro-peace backs Ukraine, not Russia, she added in a post on Facebook.
Donáth said supporting Ukraine to defend itself and win its fight for freedom would lead to peace.
Photo: MTI
LMP co-head Peter Ungár said Orbán was mistaken to say the EP election was a vote of confidence in the government. The EP elections are about issues within the scope of the European Parliament, such as the green transition, not World War III, he added.
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Current court cases against Gazprom in the EU could result in several countries, including Hungary, being cut off from Russian gas.
A significant government decree was published in Thursday night’s Hungarian Gazette (Magyar Közlöny), aiming to prevent EU gas market enforcement cases against Gazprom from affecting the operation of the Hungarian state gas distributor, MVM, Portfolio reports.
Ongoing court cases could lead to the cessation of gas deliveries from the Russian company to the Hungarian state gas provider, as Gazprom would not have access to the payments initiated by MVM. Arbitration courts have previously ruled against Gazprom in various European cases due to halted gas deliveries in 2022 and in a larger claim.
Russian gas supply is not guaranteed
Photo: depositphotos.com
Such rulings can become enforcement cases approved by regular courts, meaning that funds could be seized from compliant entities if Gazprom cannot compensate them due to the European Union’s enforcement system. Affected countries could include Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary.
The Hungarian government aims to prevent this potential disruption with the decree issued on Thursday, ensuring that EU-appointed executors cannot seize payments made by MVM to Gazprom. The government stated that the decree is intended to guarantee Hungary’s uninterrupted gas supply and maintain economic and social order.
The statement specifies that “the counter value of natural gas to be paid to the contractual partner cannot be seized or enforced to secure or satisfy the claims of a third party due to its conflict with Hungarian public order.” The decree follows several European companies winning cases against Gazprom, resulting in claims against the Russian company. If these claims were enforced, payments initiated by companies in contract with Gazprom could be seized, potentially cutting off MVM from the Russian gas supply. This would jeopardise the long-term gas transport contract signed in 2021 for 15 years.
Photo: depositphotos.com
The total compensation fees at the EU level could swell to tens of billions of euros, as EU arbitration courts may award substantial damages to plaintiffs in over ten ongoing cases. This could present serious challenges for regional companies still purchasing Russian gas, as executors could seize commissions on their Russian gas purchases for the next several years.
The region remains dependent on Russian gas, at least until 2027, when the completion of Croatian, Italian, and Slovakian infrastructure developments is expected, potentially replacing the missing gas supply.
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Orban’s minister: Hungary needs Russian oil and gas – Read here
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told participants of the Peace March in Budapest on Saturday that giving up on peace meant “choosing to die for the cause of Ukraine”, but “we do not want to shed blood for Ukraine, we will not go to war, and we will not die for somebody else on foreign soil”, he said.
“Our mission is to stay out of the war”
In a speech delivered on Margaret Island, Orbán endorsed the candidates of the Fidesz-Christian Democrats alliance in the European Parliament election and said that Hungary could only stay out of the war if Hungarian voters backed up the government.
“Do we want to shed Hungarian blood for Ukraine? No! We will not go to war, we will not die for somebody else on foreign soil,” Orbán said in his speech.
Addressing the Peace March, organised by the Civic Union (CÖF) and its foundation CÖKA, Orbán said it would be impossible to hide from the war, and that the only antidote to war was peace.
“Our mission is to stay out of the war and preserve Hungary as an island of peace,” Orbán said.
He said evil was behind world wars and urged people not to give in. The time for exorcism has come, he added.
“Peace” and Orbán. Photo: MTI
“Either we win or they win. There is no third way, only a third world war,” he said.
Orbán said there was no solution to the war on the battlefield and called for a ceasefire and peace talks.
Firstly, the election must be won next week, he said. An election victory and reinforcement from every country in Europe would pave the way for the establishment of a European pro-peace coalition in Brussels, he added, stating that a “transatlantic peace coalition” could be established in the autumn “if the Americans elect a pro-peace president”.
Orbán can be in majority?
We were “in the minority” at the start of the year, but could be “in the majority” by year-end, he said.
Referring to the European Parliament and local elections to be held on June 9, he said God had created the world in six days and commanded rest on the seventh, but now unfortunately “we must not rest even on the seventh day”, “we must put the pedal to the metal”. “Victory will come only if we all go to vote. Only peace! Only Fidesz!”, he added.
Orbán said there were already enough pro-war politicians in Brussels, so the candidates of Fidesz-Christian Democrats, headed by Tamas Deutsch, needed to “occupy Brussels”.
“We need our own kind there, who don’t believe in war and violence, but believe in the power of love and solidarity,” he added.
He said the 2022 victory of Fidesz-Christian Democrats in national elections had “raised the price of Hungarian shares on the political bourses of every capital in Europe”. Although those shares are in demand, they are not for sale, not to Brussels, not to Washington and not to George Soros, he added.
Orbán wished Fico speedy recovery
In a message to ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia, in the west of Ukraine, Orbán said the day was not far off when “your destiny will take a turn for the better”.
He also sent his regards and wished a speedy recovery to “Slovakia’s pro-peace Prime Minister” Robert Fico, adding that Fico had been shot because he stood on the side of peace, “practically giving his life for peace”. He said Fico was “carved of hard wood” and would return to put Slovakia and Hungary side by side in the fight for peace.
Orbán said the ruling parties’ victory in the European Parliament election needed to scare the Brussels bureaucrats out of their offices.
He noted that Fidesz-Christian Democrats had won all elections since the autumn of 2006, including parliamentary, local council and European elections. “We have won eleven times in one go. An absolute record, a KO, an undisputable victory,” he added.
Orbán said that the Fidesz-Christian Democrats camp was the largest, most unified and most hardened camp in all of Europe, and the ruling parties were able to campaign most successfully, theirs being the largest election army.
“Never before have so many people lined up for peace, because the only purpose of the Hungarians’ election army is to preserve peace,” he said. “We are Europe’s largest legion of peace, we are Europe’s greatest peace-preserving force,” he added.
“On the verge of a huge victory”
Orbán said the Fidesz-Christian Democrats were again “on the verge of a huge victory”.
Orbán said Fidesz had a “great chance” to score a goal, but still had to take the shot. Having a routine is an advantage in government work, but during a campaign “routine is poison, routine kills”, he added.
He said a good campaign needed a common cause and a successful campaign required heart, while passion was necessary for a winning campaign. Victory on paper doesn’t exist in politics, he added.
“Another week of hard work, the legendary Fidesz finish, and we will push the enemy off the field,” he said. He added that the task at hand was greater than ever before: to prevent Europe from rushing into war and to its ruin.
He said Europe was making preparations for war and that “every day another stretch of the road to hell is inaugurated”, pointing to initiatives involving hundreds of billions of euros for Ukraine, the deployment of nuclear weapons in the middle of Europe, the conscription of young men into a foreign army, NATO’s Ukraine mission and units of European soldiers in Ukraine.
No break on the pro-war train
“It appears that the pro-war train has no brakes, and the engine driver is insane,” he said, adding that stopping that train was at stake in the EP elections.
He said the Hungarian government knew how to do this and noted that it had earlier decoupled the “Hungarian carriage” from the pro-migration “train” and rescued Hungarian children from the hands of gender activists.
We won’t allow our children and our grandchildren to be shipped to the Ukrainian front, either, he said. “No migration, no gender, no war,” he added.
Every vote cast for Fidesz-Christian Democrats in the European Parliament election “saves lives”, he said. Every vote for Fidesz-Christian Democrats increases the weight of the pro-peace side and affirms Hungary’s decision to stay out of the war, he added.
“We can only stay out of the war if ours will be the biggest election victory in Europe,” he said.
If the left-wing wins, he added, it would only be a matter of time before the war caught up with Hungary.
Orbán said the pro-war side was “beyond common sense” and wanted to beat Russia, just as was attempted in the first and second World War, and was even ready to clash with the entire East.
Hungarians have no business on the Russian front
He likened the intoxication of war to a drug that removes all responsibility and said the pro-war side was “uninterested in the future of your children”.
“They can’t be won over, so we won’t win them over, we will defeat them,” he added.
He said the founding fathers of the EU were right in believing the continent could not bear another war. As for Hungary, “we can gain nothing in war but stand to lose everything”, he added.
He noted that the lives of one and a half million Hungarians had been lost in the first and second World War and wondered “how strong our country would be” if they hadn’t died.
“I will say it slowly, so they understand in Brussels, too: We will not enter the war. We will not march east for the third time, we will not return to the Russian front, we’ve been there before, and we have no business there,” he said.
“We will not sacrifice Hungarian youth for the profit of wartime speculators,” he added.
Orbán said that George Soros had written the “script” for a victory over Russia using Western weapons and Eastern European troops, then replacing the lives lost with migrants, 30 years earlier. He added that the Hungarian left wing were “payrolled” by Soros.
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PM Orbán: ‘Others making decisions on Hungarians’ blood unacceptable’ – details in THISarticle
The Hungarian National Assembly would have held an extraordinary session because of the Russian hackers infiltrating the foreign affairs ministry and President Sulyok’s controversial land purchase issue. The Momentum Movement demonstrated with Russian flags.
The extraordinary session was the idea of the opposition parties, but PM Orbán’s ruling coalition, the MPs of Fidesz and KDNP parties remained absent. Therefore, it lackeda quorum and ended in 40 minutes.
However, the pro-EU Momentum Movement wanted to demonstrate, so they placed Russian flags on the seats of the members of the Orbán cabinet. That comes after the press wrote Russians hacked the systems of the Hungarian foreign ministry and acquired tremendous data. Afterwards, they decorated FM Szijjártó, who did not summon and ask for an explanation from the Russian ambassador after the scandal broke out.
Pro-Russia demonstration in Budapest on 7 February. Photo: PrtScr/Youtube 444.hu
Instead, he said such attacks happen all the time, so there is nothing to worry about. He added he is not even concerned about the cyberattack we detailed in THISarticle.
Momentum said they would not like Hungary to become a Russian or Chinese colony.
Here are some photos of the Russian flags in the Hungarian parliament:
Hungarian presidency to offer alternative to current EU policies
The Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union to start on July 1 can offer a good alternative to current EU policies, the president of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs (HIIA) said on Friday. Gladden Pappin said in his opening address at a conference dubbed Sovereignty and Integration – 20 Years of Hungary in the EU that the European continent had once again become the scene of ideology-based battles.
He said that in recent years, Europe’s economic competitiveness declined and its social cohesion significantly weakened. The EU needs a new concept and policy which could make the community a stronger and more significant player in the world, Pappin said, adding that he expected positive changes as a result of the Hungarian presidency.
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Bringing back military conscription “is the internal affair of all nations”, not a matter to be decided as part of “an imperial army of the European Union in Brussels”, because “others making decisions on Hungarian blood is unacceptable”, Viktor Orbán told public radio in an interview on Friday.
United European Union army?
Whereas the draft was the business of individual nations, the German leader of the European People’s Party (EPP) had raised bringing back conscription “as part of a united European Union army”, the prime minister said, adding that this would entail taking “the fate of our own young people” away from the country’s own powers and depriving Hungary of its sovereignty. “This is unacceptable,” he said.
Bringing back the draft “is not on the agenda in Hungary”, he said, and citing “European plans” he said it was “unacceptable” for others “to decide on the blood of Hungarians”.
Meanwhile, Hungary has introduced defence studies into secondary school curriculum, Orbán said. “We are doing a lot of things that will make Hungary and the whole of society capable of self-defence without conscription,” he said.
The draft was abolished thirty years ago, at a time when “peace has been successfully established in Europe, Russia pushed back from central Europe, and NATO had basically no rival on Earth.” That meant professional servicemen were enough to effectively protect the country, he said.
He praised professional soldiers as the “best of society,” ready to change their way of life to defend the homeland.
Orbán said the values represented by servicemen, such as discipline, self-sacrifice, comradeship, and teamwork, should be present in other groups, too, and reinforced by programmes such as reserves training and military secondary education. “And summer programmes bringing young people closer to the idea bearing arms, to honour and love the homeland”, he added, without reintroducing conscription.
Meanwhile, Orbán warned that every week “brings us closer to war”. Europe “might be bringing Russian forces closer” by financing Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil, he said.
Orbán said that every week brought something “pointing towards a drift into war”. One such event was the start of negotiations on sending French training officers to Ukraine, he said. An even more concerning development, he added, was that an increasing number of players, including NATO’s Secretary-General, had said that besides self-defence, Ukraine had the right to use Western-donated weapons to attack Russia.
Orbán said he expected a “big argument” on the degree to which those weapons could be considered Ukrainian. “Russians have already announced they consider NATO to have a hand in the damage done on Russian soil,” as Ukraine would be unable to inflict it without NATO’s help. “So we have become one step more involved,” he said.
Russia had made clear its troops would advance until it had secured an area broad enough to make it impossible for Ukrainian forces to fire “into Russia’s old territory”, he said.
“We must realise that supporting Ukraine in firing at Russia bears the risk of bringing Russian forces closer to us.”
Orbán said the drifting into the war had occurred in three phases: “talks, preparation and destruction”. “We’ve moved past talks, what we’re analysing now is the matter of preparation, which puts us centimeters from actual destruction,” he said.
Western European nations, he said, were striving to win the war and felt safer because they were geographically far from Russia. Those countries saw Ukraine and central Europe as a buffer zone, he said. “It’s the same as it used to be, right? That’s what they used us for.”
Orbán said the pressure he was withstanding from Europe was growing with every summit. Resistance, he said, depended on whether “we have the country backing us”, and whether Hungary was united in its pro-peace stance, “whether we are brave enough to stand up for peace and to say we are not ready to die for Ukraine.”
NATO is a defence alliance, he said, adding that Hungary had joined for the original goal, to ensure protection and not to interfere with a conflict outside the alliance’s territory, thereby raising the threat of a world war.
Orbán called it “absurd” that “NATO is dragging its members into a world war rather than protecting them.”
The Peace March demonstration to be held in Budapest on Saturday is being organised to emphasise that “Hungary is on the cusp of war and peace”, the prime minister said, adding that it was important to declare that the threat of war was real, “contrary to what many — especially in western Europe and the western-financed left wing — may say”.
“We must also make clear that Hungarians yearn for peace and we don’t think Europe could cope with another war.”
The demonstration to be held a week before the European parliamentary elections is also a reminder that “the European founding fathers, who also thought Europe could not take another war, were right”, Orbán said. While the European Union was originally a peace project, created against war, “it is now marching ahead, dragging us into one,” he said.
It should also be made clear that “we did not enter the European Union to fight a war together, to pour 100 billion euros into the war…” He added that the US Democratic administration and the leaders of the European Union were ready to feed “the monster” of war.
Orbán said European leaders must be challenged on how the bloc’s economy could possibly be restored “if we spend all our money in Ukraine”.
He said the European parliamentary election was about “making it clear to European leaders that democracy exists and the voice of the ever-growing pro-peace Europe cannot be ignored.”
He said European leaders must be pushed to make pro-peace decisions, and pro-war politicians must be “chased away.” In Hungary, only the Fidesz-led government stood for peace, Orbán said, adding that attempts to win the war in Ukraine on the battlefield would “risk a world war.”
“Let’s take back the initiative and let there be a ceasefire and negotiations — before we find ourselves in the midst of a great European war,” he said.
The prime minister said history showed that in the first stage of every war was “anger against the supporters of peace”, while pro-war supporters argued that no morally right solution existed other than war, “so whoever is on the side of peace is actually taking a morally wrong position”.
“Then it became clear that war was not a solution to conflicts between European nations,” he said, adding that a shift towards those who favoured peace took place, and the years after the devastations of the second world war “should be saved”.
The prime minister said it was possible that “we may look back on 2024 — as we did on 1914 or 1939 — as a year when the big trouble started…” This, he said, could be avoided. “It’s not true at all that every war is written in the stars. Every war is a consequence of leaders’ decisions, and if the leaders are sane, there will be no war,” he said.
Hungary is “shocked by statements concerning Western troops to be sent to Ukraine, a possible use of nuclear weapons or even introducing mandatory conscription in Europe,” Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said in Minsk on Wednesday.
At a press conference held jointly with his Belarusian counterpart, Sergei Aleinik, Szijjártósaid both countries had to face the “dramatic ramifications” of the war in Ukraine on a daily basis, according to a statement by the foreign ministry.
“We Hungarians have already paid a huge price irrespective of the fact that it is not at all our war … Hungary’s goal is clear: we want to stay out of that war in neighbouring Ukraine,” the ministry quoted Szijjártó as saying. He insisted that there was no military solution to the war, adding that “in the battlefield there are only death and destruction”.
But “as long as we are in government in Hungary, we will not allow a single Hungarian to be taken to the Ukraine-Russia front … we firmly protest against introducing mandatory conscription in Europe,” he said. “The road to peace starts with a ceasefire with peace talks to follow,” he said, and asked Belarus to “do everything to ensure that the war, suffering, and senseless killing end in Ukraine and we all can again live in peace in the region,” he said.
Connectivity and international cooperation are Hungary’s aims
The re-emergence of blocs in the world poses a “serious long-term risk” he said, adding that it went against Hungary’s interests. “We want the world to make steps towards connectivity and international cooperation … we think that we need as few sanctions as possible and as much cooperation as possible,” he added.
The Hungarian government wants to develop its cooperation with Belarus in all areas that are not affected by the EU’s sanctions against Russia, he said, adding that Belarus was also ready to cooperate. He also noted that he was accompanied by representatives of 24 Hungarian companies on his visit, and added that the delegation was set to have 92 bilateral talks while in Minsk.
Last year Hungarian companies exported nearly 10 million hatching eggs to Belarus, followed by several hundreds of thousands of baby chicken this year, Szijjártó said. He also noted two Hungarian companies being among the 20 companies with the largest pharmaceutical market share in that country.
Druzhba pipeline important
Szijjártó referred to Belarus as “an extremely important factor” to Hungary’s energy security, noting that 80 percent of Hungary’s crude oil supplies came through Belarus, with a total of 4.5 million tonnes last year and nearly 2 million tonnes delivered already since the beginning of 2024.
Secure oil supplies to Hungary “would be impossible without the Druzhba pipeline … for physical reasons … oil can only be shipped through pipes,” Szijjártó said. He noted that “no other pipe of such capacity comes to Hungary” and added that Croatia had “raised the transit fee for rather than the capacity of their own pipeline.”
Hungary and Belarus have signed a nuclear energy cooperation deal under which “Belarusian experience could be used in (Hungary’s) Paks upgrade project,” Szijjártó said. “I hope that Belarus’s companies would soon join US, German, and French companies that are currently working at the Paks nuclear plant construction as partners of Rosatom,” the minister said.
On another subject, Szijjártó said in the next sports season Hungary would continue to offer an opportunity for Belarusian sports teams to play their matches in Hungary “just as it had done in the case of Israel and Ukraine.” He noted that Israel’s national football team, the Ukrainian handball team and Belarusian teams had played cup matches in Hungary in the past season.
Szijjártó in Belarus: Hungary does not believe in the EU sanctions
The Hungarian government is against “mixing up geopolitics and sports” and “we are also against political factors determining who is allowed to compete in the Olympic Games and who is not,” he said.
Meanwhile, addressing a Hungary-Belarus business forum, Szijjártó reiterated the Hungarian government’s aim to develop cooperation with Belarus in all areas not affected by EU sanctions.
“We Hungarians do not believe in a policy of sanctions. That policy, in our experience over the past two and a half years, has failed, caused enormous damage, and more to European economies than to the Russian,” the ministry quoted Szijjártó as saying.
He noted that bilateral trade totalled 142 million euros last year and has already grown by an annual 20 percent so far this year. Company leaders in the delegation he is heading represent the food, agriculture, pharmaceutical, construction and machinery sectors, the minister said.
Szijjártó said that the Hungarian government will continue to allow Belarussian nationals to obtain a Hungarian visa without restrictions, adding that “we will not accept any sort of pressure on the matter”. Citizens of Belarus can apply for a visa in eight cities, he added.
Speaking about cooperation in education, the minister mentioned the government scheme ensuring 50 yearly grants for Belarussian students studying at a Hungarian university.
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Anyone who passed by Heroes’ Square over the weekend must have been surprised to see red flags strung from the lampposts and red-star Soviet tanks marching near the square. Yes, another film production has transported Budapest back to the communist era.
There is no need to worry – the Russians have not returned. Thankfully, it is just the adventure film *Mayday* being shot in the Hungarian capital.
This event could be of particular interest to enthusiasts of old Soviet tanks. Despite their age, the military equipment on display was in excellent condition. The display included T-54/55 Soviet tanks, at least one T-72A, a KUB air defence system, a BTR-60 armoured personnel carrier and some Ural and ZISz-150 / ZIL-164 trucks towing a BUK anti-aircraft missile. A Topol ballistic missile was also part of the arsenal behind the erected pavilion, according to portfolio.hu.
The exact origins of the red-star Soviet tanks and other combat vehicles are unknown; however, companies in the US and Hungary stock dozens of military and replica vehicles specifically for filmmakers.
Watch the video of the combat vehicles, made by a Hungarian blogger:
Red-star Soviet tanks in Budapest – VIDEO:
Read also: Huge rocket passed through the centre of Budapest – VIDEO
PM Orbán introduced a new phrase in his regular weekly interview this Friday. He would like Hungary to become a non-participant member state. NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg reacted rigidly. He said they would not let anybody undermine the alliance’s unity.
Hungarian veto against arming Ukraine
According to politico.eu, PM Orbán talked about a special status for Hungary in NATO. He said he would like Hungary to become a non-participant country in operations outside the military alliance’s territory.
That comes after Hungary baulked the unanimous decision of using EUR 2 billion, the profit of an approximately EUR 190 billion frozen Russian asset stored in the Belgian depository Euroclear. That money would have been used to buy arms for Ukraine and help Kyiv’s struggle against the Russian invasion.
“Now a new term has been invented to describe the Hungarian position in NATO, it is called non-participation. We are not a participant now,” Orbán said. That means Hungary will not participate in actions outside the alliance’s territory.
Photo: facebook.com/orbanviktor
Hungarian opposition pro-war?
Orbán and his government have been warning of an uncontrollable escalation into a world war for months. The country has been crammed with billboards for weeks shouting “War!” and depicting opposition politicians. The Hungarian government says a considerable international lobby aims at the EU and NATO to enter the war in Ukraine. And they have subsidiaries in Hungary: the opposition parties and critical NGOs.
The communication campaign seems to work: despite the presidential clemency scandal stabbing into the heart of the Fidesz world, Orbán’s party leads all the polls just two weeks before the 9 June European parliamentary elections.
Hungary undermining NATO unity?
Probably that is why Orbán baulks such decisions: he does not want to lose popular support. But Western media suggests another scenario. They believe that Orbán maintains his relationship with Russian President Putin. Therefore, preventing such a decision and “undermining the alliance’s unity” is just part of Orbán’s “courting” to Putin.
Photo: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
Orbán regularly says that Russia will never attack the West but suggests that the West would do otherwise. “How many more weapons will we send? How much more money will we send?” Orbán asked in an interview in Hungary’s public media. “This gives rise to the darkest visions,” he concluded.
Stoltenberg would allow Ukrainians to conduct attacks in Russia with American weapons
Meanwhile, Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, told the Economist that they make consensual decisions. He added they would be able to baulk undermining the unity of the alliance.
Orbán (c) and Stoltenberg (l). Photo: FB/Orbán
Stoltenberg even slammed Washington in his latest interview with the Economist. He said they should allow Ukrainians to use the weapons they give them on Russian territory. He added that a heavy fight is ongoing in Kharkiv, which is only kilometres from the Russian border. Therefore, they should allow the Ukrainian forces to use American weapons against the Russian invasion forces standing in Russian territory.
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Hungarian government sendsemail to public concerning NATO plans on Ukraine war
Government websites are regularly hit by hackers, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday, adding that a 2022 cyberattack “of Russian origin” against the foreign ministry had not led to a leak of any confidential information.
Responding to a question at a regular government press briefing, Gergely Gulyássaid it was untrue that the Russian intelligence services had “severely compromised” the foreign ministry’s IT systems, noting that the ministry had denied those claims in 2022.
He noted that reports in the press had referred to a “highly unusual” cyberattack that led to a leak of confidential data, adding that a briefing he had requested had indicated that no one had gained access to any confidential information.
Photo: FB/Gergely Gulyás
Gulyás said he had no knowledge of any diplomatic countermeasures taken after the cyberattack, adding, at the same time, that Hungarian government IT systems were regularly targeted in such a way from “numerous countries”, and he could not recall a case in which an ambassador would have been summoned over the matter.
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Hungarian foreign ministry was aware of Russian cyber attacks, insider documents prove – read more HERE
In the Hungarian property market, Chinese citizens and the Russians were the most active buyers in 2023. Following the residency bond programme introduced years ago, the Hungarian government is launching a new initiative aimed at citizens from non-EU and non-EEA countries. This programme grants a ten-year residence permit in exchange for real estate purchases or donations to trustee foundations.
Photo: depositphotos.com
According to Telex, the new Hungarian “guest investor” programme will come into effect on 1 July, following the local and European parliamentary elections. Using insights from analysts at Ingatlan.com and Duna House, the news portal examined the current state of property purchases by non-EU foreigners, particularly focusing on the trends among Chinese and Russian citizens, who are the predominant buyers.
Chinese and Russian citizens most active buyers
Every spring, the Prime Minister’s Office releases data on the number of non-EU foreigners who applied for permission to buy property in Hungary. According to these reports, the number of applications submitted by foreigners increased by 18% in 2023 compared to 2022.
Last year, 2981 non-EU citizens applied, marking the highest number since the coronavirus pandemic, although it remains below pre-pandemic levels (nearly 3300 in 2018 and over 3500 in 2019).
Regarding actual transactions, Chinese and Russian citizens were the most active buyers in 2023, with Chinese nationals purchasing 647 properties and Russians 223.
Decline in Russian buyers since 2022
Budapest, Hungary. Source: depositphotos.com
Recent data shows a narrowing gap between the two nationalities: Chinese buyers purchased 17% fewer properties in 2023 compared to 2022, while Russian purchases increased by 16%. For Russians, properties in the 6th district were most popular, whereas Chinese buyers favoured the 13th and 10th districts, with about a quarter of their purchases occurring there.
According to Károly Benedikt, PR and analysis director at Duna House, the strong interest from Russian buyers seen in the two to three years before the invasion of Ukraine has significantly decreased, now representing only about 10% of that previous interest. This decline is partly due to sanctions and restrictions on Russians: only those with Hungarian residency permits or those who purchase through companies can buy properties, and government approval is still required.
Financially, the process is also complicated. Many long-time Russian residents in Hungary had their bank accounts closed at the war’s onset. Selling existing properties is also difficult, and it is nearly impossible for individual Russians to acquire Hungarian real estate. Those who manage to buy properties and have sufficient capital typically invest in luxury properties, often as part of broader international investments.
Data from Duna House indicates that the proportion of Chinese buyers purchasing homes has also decreased, with most now buying for investment purposes. They tend to purchase properties with one or two bedrooms, typically valued around 80–100 million forints. Foreign buyers usually rely on intermediaries, with Duna House employing several Russian and Chinese-speaking experts, and essential documents available in Russian and Chinese, alongside English and German.
Thousands of Russians scoping the market
Statistics shared by Ingatlan.com support the notion that Russian buyers face significant challenges. The real estate agency reported that Russian interest in their listings has surged in comparison to Chinese interest over the past two years. In 2022, 504 Chinese and 2242 Russians inquired about properties, rising to 1342 Chinese and 3842 Russians in 2023. For January 2024, Russian inquiries (851) far outnumbered Chinese ones (66).
In 2022, after the Chinese and Russians, the most active buyers were Israelis (182) and Ukrainians (166), followed by British (132) and Turkish (75) nationals. In 2023, the Prime Minister’s Office included Vietnamese in the statistics, who previously were under the “other” category. Consequently, last year, 340 Vietnamese, 154 Ukrainians, 108 Israelis, and 108 Turkish citizens bought property in Hungary.
Hungary’s government rejects all attempts at political pressure on where it buys its energy, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Tokyo on Tuesday, adding that national interests would always determine the government’s energy policy.
The three major crises faced by the world over the last five years all had a negative impact on energy markets, putting countries without a coastline or an abundance of gas or oil fields in an especially difficult situation, Szijjártó said at the Global Energy Security Talks conference, according to a ministry statement.
In his address, Szijjártó warned of mounting ideological and political pressure on energy markets, saying the recent period had demonstrated the importance of carrying out a responsible energy policy. He said this involved the government ensuring a country’s uninterrupted energy supply while also taking into consideration environmental protection aspects.
Szijjártó said this was only possible “if we get rid of the ideological approach and . if we get rid of hypocrisy”. Hungary, he added, stood by its position that energy supply was not a matter of ideology or politics, but one of physics and mathematics.
He noted that the sanctions imposed in response to the war in Ukraine had resulted in an energy crisis, while western Europeans “are proud of themselves that they got rid of Russian energy sources”. He added, however, that in reality, they were instead importing oil through third countries like India, and Russia also had the biggest share of western European LNG imports.
The minister also discussed the problem of pressure to diversify energy sources when the European Union did not want to contribute to infrastructure developments and spoke out against discrimination against nuclear energy.
Szijjártó said the Hungarian government rejected all forms of political pressure on where it chooses to buy its energy from and would always choose the best solution according to national interests.
He said decisions concerning the energy mix must remain within the EU’s national competence, and they should also consider a member state’s circumstances.
Hungary, he said, viewed the green transition as a means to preserving the planet rather as a political ideology or a monopoly. He added that Hungary was one of 21 countries that had managed to increase its GDP while reducing its harmful emissions.
Szijjártó underlined the need to find a balance between boosting competitiveness and environmental protection.
He highlighted three prerequisites for a responsible, carbon-neutral global energy policy of the future. The first, he said, was to ensure the role of nuclear energy, arguing that industrial growth would double the demand for electricity by the end of the decade, and nuclear reactors were the cheapest, safest and most sustainable energy sources for satisfying it.
He noted that the ongoing upgrade of Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant involved a Russian general contractor in addition to American, German and French companies, adding that this could offer hope for a return to peaceful international cooperation.
Szijjártó said the second requirement was the transport sector’s transition to electric vehicles, on which a political decision has already been made in Europe. He added that this was also impossible without global cooperation, highlighting Hungary as a key meeting point for the sector’s Eastern and Western players.
Thirdly, Szijjártó underlined the need infrastructure developments related to energy supply, saying there was “no unnecessary infrastructure”.
He said the Hungarian government understood “diversification” of its energy supply to mean tapping new sources rather than replacing existing ones. He said this process was under way despite the EU not financing infrastructure developments in southeast Europe, arguing that gas would no longer be part of the energy mix in 15 years’ time.
“They might be right . but there are 14 winters to go, for which we have to ensure the safe supply of energy,” he said, adding that it was important to “avoid any kind of aggressive, artificially quick phase-out of gas from the national energy mixes”.
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Groups of the parliamentary opposition are porposing an extraordinary session of parliament over Russia’s cyber attacks against the foreign ministry, to be held on May 27.
Bence Tordai, group leader of the Párbeszéd party, said a recently published document “proves what we had surmised, that Putin’s hackers had practically overtaken the Hungarian government’s IT systems and broke into the whole system of the foreign ministry.”
“It has been known since at least 2017 that practically there is no counter-intelligence against Russia; a political decision was made not to protect Hungary against Russia’s hybrid warfare,” Tordai said. “What we see here is not sovereignty but the attitude of a puppet state,” Tordai added.
The opposition has drafted a resolution to condemn the Russian attack, including an investigation and ramifications of the incident, Tordai said.
Hungarian government lied about the Russian attack?
The Democratic Coalition, former PM Gyurcsány’s party, demands Szijjártó’s resignation. aHang.hu already started an online petition and already collected more than 11 thousand signatures. Their target is 15 thousand and they will send their demands to the opposition chairman of the National Security Committee of the Hungarian Parliament, Zoltán Sas.
Several government members and leaders of Orbán’s Fidesz party claimed before the 2022 general elections that the Russians did not commit cyber attacks against the Hungarian foreign ministry. Documents acquired by the Hungarian press clearly show that they did not tell the truth.
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The visits of Orbán’s son, Gáspár Orbán, to Chad and Niger, both with Russian ties, raise concerns about his role as a conduit between the Kremlin and Europe. Reports suggest potential involvement in uranium deals to bolster Russian influence and counter French presence in Africa.
Investigation about Orbán’s son
As HírKlikk writes, VSquare, Direkt36 and Le Monde are set to unveil together the truth behind the military mission of Orbán’s son in Chad. The news sites have found that Viktor Orbán’s son, operating from within the Carmelite, has reportedly played a significant role in establishing a national security body akin to the US President’s National Security Council, despite lacking official authority. He has been involved in organising the military mission in Chad and is assisting the prime minister’s newly appointed chief national security adviser, all under a veil of secrecy. His responsibilities extend to foreign policy, diplomacy and potentially trade.
An alleged mission?
As VSquare has reported, the alleged mission of Orbán’s son, Gáspár Orbán, in Chad, focused on “terrorism and migration control,” is seen by some as a pretext, with suspicions arising that Hungary aims to establish a military intelligence centre in the region. Allegations suggest Russian influence, possibly encouraged by Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister active in Africa. With the French and Americans withdrawing from Chad and Niger, the geopolitical landscape in the region is shifting. A Central European government official told VSquare:
What we’ve heard is that the Hungarian government also intends to establish a military intelligence centre in Chad, which concerns us. Since Prigozhin’s death and the disintegration of the Wagner group, Russia has lost some influence in Africa. We fear that this Hungarian military intelligence center could potentially serve Russian interests, and I suspect Kremlin officials like Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s main face in Africa, encouraged the Hungarians.
The real objective of the mission
Reports suggest that Orbán’s interest lies in gaining access to Chad’s uranium reserves to aid Russian interests, potentially ousting French influence. Orbán’s son, Gáspár Orbán, is seen as a key link between Budapest and Moscow, raising concerns about sensitive data leakage from the EU and NATO to Russia. The report speculates on joint operations between the Orbán regime and Russian military intelligence, suggesting a potential escalation in Hungary’s actions. HírKlikk notes that if this shocking information is true, we can rightfully fear Hungary’s aggressive steps in Europe and beyond. In addition, the Hungarian capital is potentially involved in the European operations of the Russian military intelligence service GRU.
