The Budapest Balkans Forum 2024 began with captivating discussions about the region’s future, featuring Hungarian government officials such as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, and Minister for EU Affairs János Bóka, among others.

The right-wing parties of Portugal emerged strengthened from the Sunday early election in Portugal, with the Chega party, led by André Ventura, quadrupling its seats, and the centre-right Democratic Alliance winning, which augurs well for the European Parliament elections this summer.

‘Donald Trump is the president of peace,’ Viktor Orbán said in an interview with public M1 television. The interview focused, among other topics, on the Hungarian prime minister’s visit to the US last week.

French President Emmanuel Macron has captured the attention of the international community with his increasingly bold pro-war statements recently. What could be the intentions driving Macron’s rhetoric?

Additional previously frozen EU funding is set to reach Hungary, this time totalling more than €70 million. However, more than €20 billion funds are still withheld by Brussels.

Hungary and the European Space Agency have signed a framework agreement, paving the way for the Hungarian space research programme to be conducted in collaboration with the agency, making it a unique example in Europe.

Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is the frontrunner to become NATO’s next Secretary General, with the support of Washington, London, Berlin, and Paris. However, Hungary has expressed objections regarding the Dutch politician’s candidacy. As a consensus is required for his election, a Hungarian veto could potentially lead to Rutte’s downfall.

In the midst of tensions among the Visegrád Group countries, Viktor Orbán spoke about the potential for a partnership between Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia. In what areas could these countries cooperate, and what difficulties might impede such a partnership?

According to a recent poll, an absolute majority of Hungarians would prefer to see Donald Trump as the next president of the United States. The survey results indicate that the Hungarian government and Hungarian voters agree that the return of the former Republican president would be more beneficial for Hungary.

Addressing the Russo–Ukrainian war in his remarks at the opening event of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual economic conference, Orbán said only ‘a new player, who had no role in the outbreak of this war, can pave a way out,’ clearly alluding to former US President Donald Trump.

During his trip to the United States, Balázs Orbán was hosted by Tucker Carlson, which suggests that the latter may have an interview in the pipeline with the Hungarian Prime Minister’s political director. In addition to launching his latest book, Balázs Orbán travelled to the United States to prepare Viktor Orbán’s visit coming up this week.

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.

Didier Reynders told the European Parliament that Hungary will not receive any funds from the Recovery Fund until specific reforms are enacted. The challenge for Hungary lies in the continual imposition of new conditions by Brussels, some of which are impossible to meet.

According to press reports, Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán are scheduled to meet in Florida on 8 March. As the perhaps two most prominent figures of the international right, they are gearing up for crucial elections in 2024, and their alliance is deemed more significant than ever.

The Hungarian Child Protection Act faces continuous criticism from both the domestic and the European left. Meanwhile, the left has been hard at work normalizing the sexualization of children and relativizing paedophilia.

Viktor Orbán and the governing parties refrained from paying tribute to Alexei Navalny in the Hungarian parliament earlier this week. Considering the less-known views of the recently deceased Russian opposition leader, the Hungarian prime minister’s decision is likely to resonate with the majority of Ukrainians.

The V4 countries convened for a summit on 27 February, a gathering of paramount importance regarding the future trajectory of cooperation. The leaders of the allied states reached a unanimous agreement on the necessity to uphold cooperation in areas of common interests, notwithstanding differences of opinion.

In the final, the Hungarian national team lost 2–0 to the host Mexico, finishing as the runners-up in the Socca Copa America tournament in Cancún, Mexico. Martin Vörös-Torma emerged as the tournament’s top scorer.

The Hungarian National Assembly has elected Tamás Sulyok, formerly President of the Constitutional Court, as the new President of Hungary.

The Hungarian National Assembly approved the ratification of Sweden’s accession to NATO on 26 February. It is now up to the President of the Republic to sign the agreement, which will officially grant Sweden full membership in the defence alliance.

As the European Parliament elections approach, Manfred Weber, President of the European People’s Party, has entered campaign mode, with a focus on demonizing Viktor Orbán and the European right. Meanwhile, speculation continues regarding which political group Fidesz will align with in the next EP.

As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, the prospect of peace remains as distant as it did 24 months ago. However, with the upcoming political events in Europe and the United States, 2024 holds the potential for significant changes. With these crucial events ahead, there is hope that 2025 could finally become the year of peace in Ukraine.

With the signature of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine has legalized the use of cannabis-based medicines and preparations. The decision could have serious consequences for Hungary and the European Union due to the chaos caused by the war in Ukraine.

According to a recent POLITICO article, EU member states should impose sanctions on Russian nuclear energy, but Hungary’s opposition makes this impossible. Meanwhile, several states in the EU are cooperating with Russian nuclear energy companies, hiding behind Hungary’s veto, and acting behind the scenes to protect their interests.

At the Fidesz–KDNP parliamentary group meeting today it was decided that Tamás Sulyok, President of the Hungarian Constitutional Court would be nominated for the position of head of state, left vacant following the resignation of Katalin Novák. Tamás Deutsch will lead the governing parties’ list for the European Parliament elections.

The two-day parliamentary group meeting of Fidesz–KDNP began with a speech by Viktor Orbán on Wednesday. The gathering holds particular significance, given that the selection of the candidate for the head of state is on the agenda.

The first V4 summit of the year is scheduled for 27 February, with a focus on illegal migration, energy security, and the EU’s strategic objectives. After the estrangement caused by the war in Ukraine, cooperation seems to be back on track, but its future will largely depend on the willingness and ability of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to collaborate.

The protracting NATO accession process of Sweden seems to be reaching its conclusion, following the announcement of support for ratification by Fidesz parliamentary group leader Máté Kocsis.

A bipartisan US Senate delegation visited Budapest over the weekend to exert pressure on the Hungarian parliament to advance the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership. The senators also held consultations with opposition politicians and NGO representatives, and are planning to propose a resolution condemning Hungary.

On Saturday, 17 February, Viktor Orbán delivered his 25th State of the Nation address, which was centred around topics such as the scandal surrounding President Katalin Novák, the reinforcement of the child protection system, Hungary’s relationship with the European Union, and the forthcoming EU and US elections.