Four US soldiers stationed in Lithuania went missing on Tuesday during a training exercise near the Lithuanian–Belarusian border. On Wednesday NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed that the troops had been killed; however, the US Army and the Lithuanian Armed Forces stated that the search is still ongoing.
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Hungary’s energy security has faced constant and varied threats—from strikes on Russian gas pipelines to the suspension of transit through Ukraine. However, if the current ceasefire agreement is implemented effectively, Budapest could finally experience stability in this regard.
Hungary has made it clear that its support for Ukraine’s EU membership will depend on the outcome of a national referendum. Speaking on Hungarian television, Minister for European Affairs János Bóka emphasized that Ukraine must acknowledge this condition, while also criticizing the EU’s outdated stance on the conflict.
After the second round of peace talks in Saudi Arabia, Washington announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea and on each other’s energy infrastructure. If upheld, the deal could mark the first concrete step toward a broader truce.
Is the EU capable of defending itself against the Russian threat? Why is the US turning away from Europe? Is there fear in an atheist’s heart of meeting Jesus after death? How well-founded are our strongly held beliefs? We asked the American philosopher in Budapest.
‘The defence of democracy, human rights, and sovereignty cannot be contingent on political expediency or the geopolitical convenience of targeting smaller or less powerful states. A genuinely united Europe must demonstrate a consistent and impartial commitment to its principles, respecting the agency of all member states.’
‘One of my grandfathers was a Reformed pastor, and the other was a county chief magistrate, so, from the Communist regime’s point of view, we were a “reactionary” family who didn’t accept the people’s democracy. Our family certainly helped us develop a healthy outlook on life. We weren’t spoiled; we got used to difficulties, and we even took them for granted.’
‘According to a letter written five days later, the situation quickly escalated and drew in the emblematic director of the Rabbinical Seminary, Sándor Scheiber…In light of the incident, the leadership of MIOK…turned to Scheiber, requesting in writing that he inform them of the status of the matter within two days.’
Tamás Menczer has warned in a Facebook post that due to military aid to Ukraine ‘the war has already cost every Hungarian family 2.5 million HUF, and Ukraine’s EU membership would cost millions more for each and every family’. The Hungarian government remains in stark opposition to having Ukraine become an EU Member State.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed a joint conclusion on Ukraine during Thursday’s EU summit, for the second time in March. He stated that he will continue to block every EU position on Ukraine until the results of Hungary’s public vote on Kyiv’s EU membership are known.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.
