The agreement is not just a matter for Ukraine and the US. There is a geopolitical realignment of the world’s raw materials markets, in which Europe’s interests are strongly involved. If US companies are, in practice, given priority access to Ukrainian raw materials, this could limit the EU’s room for manoeuvre at a time when the speed of the green transition will determine future competitiveness.

As the proposed meeting in Istanbul between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin remains in limbo, Pope Leo XIV appears to have offered the Holy See’s mediation to the warring parties. The negotiations have gained new momentum as international pressure mounts on Russia to agree on a ceasefire.

Hungarian reservists and the Ohio National Guard are conducting joint live-fire exercises in Bakonykúti, Fejér County, under the Valiant Panther 2025 training operation, enhancing combat readiness and deepening three decades of defence cooperation.

A Hungarian Facebook user has shared a video of tanks driving across the streets of Budapest at night over the weekend. Many people picked up the footage, fearing it was a sign of military escalation. However, an expert from the Hungarian tabloid Blikk has cracked the case.

The EU’s General Court has delivered a major blow to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, annulling Brussels’ refusal to release her COVID-era text messages with Pfizer’s CEO. The ruling exposes deep flaws in EU transparency and intensifies scrutiny over the €35 billion vaccine contract central to the Pfizergate scandal.

Center for Fundamental Rights Senior Fellow Bryan Leib has recently attended the Jewish News Syndicate’s conference in Jerusalem, Israel, where he explained to the audience why Hungary is the safest place for Jews in Europe.

Hungary is revising its national AI strategy with a strong emphasis on education, ethics, and social application, government commissioner László Palkovics announced, signing a partnership with ELTE to shape human-centered and trustworthy AI technologies.

Hungary’s car industry remains a driving force of the national economy despite global headwinds, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said, stressing that East–West cooperation is key to success in the age of electromobility.

Despite their advocacy for increasingly stringent green policies, EU leaders—including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen—took a private jet last week from Brussels to Luxembourg, a journey that would have taken just over two hours by car. The scandal has cast a shadow over von der Leyen’s week, already clouded by an eagerly anticipated EU court ruling concerning the so-called Pfizergate text messages.

István Kovács from Nagykároly (Carei), Romania, will be officiating this year’s UCL final between Paris Saint-Germain and Internazionale. He is the fourth ethnic Hungarian to referee the premier European club competition’s final, after Károly Palotai (twice, in 1976 and 1981), Sándor Puhl (1997), and, most recently, Viktor Kassai (2011).

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned that, although no one dares to say it, the war in Ukraine is essentially lost. He made the statement at the Conference of Presidents of the European Union Parliaments, held in the National Assembly in Budapest.

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony has dismissed BKV CEO Tibor Bolla following media reports linking him to individuals accused of organized tax fraud. The decision comes amid concerns over public trust and corporate integrity.

‘This is the case with respect for human dignity, the “right to life”, and the prohibition of eugenics. After the Second World War, states wanted to give these principles international legal force. They were formulated in particular in response to Aktion T4, the programme of euthanasia of thousands of disabled people under the Nazi regime in Germany.’

The Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) posted the video of the arrest of the Serbian man apprehended at the southern border. He was caught with over five kilograms (11 pounds) of heroin and methamphetamine.

The Hungarian Ministry of Defence has symbolically adopted two lynxes at the Budakeszi Wildlife Park—linking military identity with nature conservation and education, while highlighting parallels between wildlife and the army’s modern Lynx combat vehicles.

The United States and China have reached an agreement described by the White House as a ‘historic trade win’ for the American people, rolling back both tariffs and non-tariff barriers in bilateral trade. The deal, which will take effect on 14 May, will reduce tariffs on US products exported to China to 10 per cent, and on Chinese products entering the US to 30 per cent.

The Washington Post recently ran an article in which it details how LGBT pride march organizers in the United States are facing major gaps in their budgets for this year’s events, as corporate funding has significantly slowed under the second Trump administration.

The 21st March of Life took place in Budapest on Sunday, with participants walking from the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial to the Várkert Bazaar. This year’s commemoration was marked by a somber reflection on current threats to Jewish communities worldwide.

A spy war has erupted between Hungary and Ukraine, with both countries expelling diplomats amid allegations of espionage and political subversion. At home, Hungarian officials now suspect the opposition’s actions—including a controversial leak by Péter Magyar—may be tied to Ukrainian intelligence efforts to destabilize Prime Minister Orbán’s government.

Polish MP Dariusz Matecki has issued an appeal to the Hungarian people, warning them not to fall victim to the same ‘Eurocratic’ takeover that destroyed Polish sovereignty. In an open letter posted on X, Matecki—currently facing politically charged prosecution in Poland—urged Hungarians to resist EU interference in the parliamentary elections in 2026.

In Hungary, students take a so-called ‘érettségi’ (maturity) exam at the end of their high school education, which serves as both their SAT and GED in the American context. These exams take place in early May every year—students are taking their exams as we are writing this article.

Hungary’s top scientific network, HUN-REN, and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) have signed a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening collaboration in research, innovation, and education across key technological fields.

At a press conference on Thursday, President Trump revealed that the first country to sign a new trade agreement with the US under his second term is the United Kingdom. Per the new deal, the US will have a baseline tariff of 10 per cent imposed on the UK, with certain exceptions, such as UK-made steel. Meanwhile, the UK will drop its tariffs on US goods from 5.1 to 1.8 per cent.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán unveiled an ambitious, anti-war 2026 budget plan focused on protecting Hungarian families, pledging massive spending on pensions, family assistance, and energy price reductions, while introducing further steps to rein in inflation and regulate retail pricing.

White smoke signalled history in the making: the Catholic Church has elected its first American pope. Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, emerged from the conclave with a call for peace and dialogue. A veteran of Latin American ministry and Vatican leadership, he inherits a Church reshaped by Pope Francis—and still deeply divided.

In a significant political and personal development, Ferenc Gyurcsány, former Prime Minister of Hungary and leader of the Democratic Coalition (DK), has announced his resignation from all political positions and his withdrawal from public life. Concurrently, he and his wife, Klára Dobrev, have decided to divorce after nearly three decades of marriage.

Hungarian schools must now display information about the NMHH’s Internet Hotline, helping students and families report harmful online content. The initiative aims to expand awareness of the service through posters and digital resources in institutions.

Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday night, signalling that the first round of voting in the papal conclave failed to elect a new leader for the Catholic Church. Thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square to witness the outcome.

India launched airstrikes into Pakistani territory on Wednesday night, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals. Named ‘Operation Sindoor’, the strike is the most significant cross-border attack since the two nations last went to war—raising fears of a wider conflict in the region.

Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation has presented its annual Oeco-Index, an objective and comprehensive indicator of economic development. According to the index, Hungary ranks 18th in the European Union and 35th globally, outperforming countries such as China, Russia, and Italy.