As the war in Ukraine drags on, experts at Tusványos warned that a definitive peace is unlikely. Panellists debated whether the conflict will freeze like others in the post-Soviet space, and what that means for Europe’s security and Ukraine’s future.
Budapest welcomed 10 per cent more tourists during the week of headline concerts by Guns N’ Roses, Jennifer Lopez, and Lionel Richie, with hotel occupancy and local guest numbers also seeing a major spike, according to Visit Hungary.
The Ukrainian legislature fast-tracked a new bill that would put the Ukrainian independent anti-corruption agencies under the purview of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, an appointee by President Zelenskyy. The move sparked concerns over conflicts of interest—people took to the streets to protest in Ukraine, and EU officials have spoken out about it as well.
‘In an age where a phone tells better time than any Rolex, watches are thriving—not despite their obsolescence, but because of it. They are beautiful, technical, embodied objects in an abstract and disposable world. They are the final adornment, the last private ritual, the culture of time made visible—and kept close to the skin.’
The US has returned a priceless 17th-century manuscript stolen from Budapest to Hungary. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó called the gesture a milestone in cultural restitution and praised the renewed Hungarian–American partnership.
At a panel discussion at Tusványos 2025, Hungarian MP Zsolt Németh shared his hopes on how the second Trump administration could bring about ‘Pax Americana 2.0’. This and other important questions were discussed by him, Carlos Roa, Botond Csoma, and Zsolt Szilágyi.
Will Brussels dictate the future of Europe, or can member states reclaim control? A high-profile panel at Tusványos, including Hungarian EU Affairs Minister János Bóka and Rod Dreher, criticized the EU’s centralization drive, arguing that the European Commission now holds more power than many national governments.
At Tusványos 2025, global thinkers from all around the world, from Lebanon, the UK, and Hungary, discussed the decline of liberalism and rise of post-liberal democracy. Speakers like Balázs Orbán, Lord Frost, and Philip Pilkington argued that Western liberalism failed to deliver its promises, while others stressed the need to protect traditional values.
Hungary has refused to comply with the EU’s migrant quota system, citing national security concerns and growing public dissatisfaction across Europe. György Bakondi warned that Brussels’s approach ignores the realities faced by member states.
‘Bilateral relations between the United States and Hungary have swiftly moved forward and considerably improved since Trump returned to office on 20 January 2025…This is consistent with Trump’s emerging second-term foreign policy, which prioritizes realist engagement with other countries based on shared interests.’
Hungary has issued its largest-ever sovereign bond in China, raising 5 billion renminbi on the domestic Chinese market. The deal drew strong investor demand and supports Hungary’s financial reserves amid global uncertainty.
‘Russian responsibility in this failure is becoming increasingly clear,’ said Zsolt Németh, referring to the failed peace talks in Ukraine during the opening of the 34th Bálványos Summer Free University. At the same event, State Secretary for National Policy Lőrinc Nacsa also delivered remarks, emphasizing that the Hungarian government stands for Hungarians both beyond and within its borders.
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD remains fully committed to its factory project in Szeged, Hungary, and has not altered its production plans, government commissioner István Joó confirmed in response to recent media speculation.
Two Hungarian films—Orphan by László Nemes and Silent Friend by Ildikó Enyedi—have been selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, marking a rare dual presence for Hungarian cinema at the prestigious event.
The Hungarian men’s water polo team defeated reigning Olympic champions Serbia in the semi-finals of the World Championships in Singapore, taking a crucial step towards making history by aiming to secure a record fifth world title—an achievement no other country has managed. In the final, the men’s team will face Spain, while the Hungarian women’s team will take on Greece on Wednesday.
Artificial intelligence is transforming tasks rather than wiping out jobs, and younger generations are leading its adoption. A recent survey shows over half of 18–29-year-olds in Hungary already use AI in work or studies, mostly via ChatGPT.
Hungarian families with children spend far more on telecom services than childless households, mainly due to increased use of streaming and mobile subscriptions, according to the latest survey by the National Media and Communications Authority.
The 34th Bálványos Summer University and Student Camp, better known as Tusványos, begins Tuesday in Băile Tușnad with the slogan ’You Can Count on Us’, offering political debates, cultural events, and high-level speeches through Sunday.
Hungary will build a new oil pipeline with Serbia by 2027 to protect low household utility costs and ensure energy security, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced, sharply criticizing Brussels for undermining access to affordable energy.
‘If the government of Israel continues to cause the expense and bureaucratic harassment for the granting of routine visas that for decades have been routine, I will have no other choice than to instruct our consular section to review options for reciprocal treatment of Israeli citizens seeking visas to the United States.’
The European Commission’s budget proposal for 2028–2034 has drawn unprecedented criticism from across the European Union—from the European Parliament and member states to NGOs representing a wide range of sectors. In this article, we seek to explain why.
A surprise audit of the Hungarian government’s national gold reserves has been carried out by the Committee on Security and Defence in the National Assembly, Committee Chairman Lajos Kósa has revealed. Hungary’s gold reserves in total are 110.2 metric tonnes.
Hungarian police have arrested a 23-year-old Budapest man using the online alias ‘Hano’, suspected of launching coordinated cyberattacks that disrupted major Hungarian news portals and even targeted an international press watchdog.
‘Therefore, two Antemurale myths are currently clashing in Europe: one geopolitical and ideological, in which Ukraine is seen as the last bulwark of European civilization; the other cultural and demographic, with Hungary positioning itself as the defender of traditional Western values and Christianity.’
Edwin Feulner co-founded the influential American conservative think tank Heritage Foundation in 1973, then served as its president for 36 years, between 1973 and 2013, and again for a year, between 2017 and 2018. He passed away on 18 July 2025.
With support from the National Film Institute, Hungary is reviving its beloved Hungarian Folk Tales series and launching a diverse slate of animated and documentary films exploring everything from myth and music to political repression and forgotten heroes.
Budapest has been named one of the world’s 50 most innovative cities in the 2025 Bloomberg Mayors Challenge, winning funding to pilot a project that transforms unsold produce into healthy meals for schools and elderly homes.
‘Beyond the purely political and economic, a strong civilizational synergy remains between the two nations. Hungary and Cambodia share the common fate of being ancient countries undergoing processes of national renewal and self-discovery, with the traumas of Communist anti-historicism—and the temptations of liberal ahistoricism—now largely behind them.’
In its ‘Beyond the Óperencia’ series, Magyar Krónika is looking at the meeting points of America and Hungary, and at Hungarians in America, from penniless peasants to political emigrants and soldiers of fortune. This part will be about Lázár Mészáros, former Hungarian Minister of War, who tried to make a living as a farmer growing melons in America.
‘Whether, in light of all this, she truly managed—as she claimed in her oral history interview—“to strictly observe Jewish teachings” is something only posterity can judge.’