Viktor Orbán and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on 2 July 2024

Let Us Be Clear: We Do Not Serve Russian Interests!

‘If the Hungarian government’s foreign policy in recent months had truly been to serve Russian interests, then, for example, the NATO secretary general would not have left Budapest with a free hand from Hungary to negotiate and conduct NATO training and support for Ukraine, as well as to undertake a long-term financial commitment required for military support, even if Hungary will not itself participate in these NATO efforts.’

Wastewater, rubble and completely destroyed residential buildings are seen after the IDF withdrew following its attacks in Khan Yunis, Gaza on 1 July 2024.

The Reason Israel has Failed to Stop Hamas

‘Incidentally, Netanyahu’s failure is not because the Biden administration is withholding weapons. The heart of the issue is the Islamic indoctrination of Palestinian Muslims. Just like organized crime in southern Italy, whether it is called the Mafia or the ‘Ndrangheta, capturing and imprisoning the militants or killing them will not end Hamas.’

USD Is Still King of All Currencies Despite Fears of It Losing Global Dominance

‘In the end, the USD’s centrality to the system of global payments also increases the power of sanctions it imposes on other countries or individuals. In truth, since almost all trade is done in American dollars, even trade among other countries, they can always be subject to US sanctions because they are handled by so-called correspondent banks with accounts at the Federal Reserve. By cutting off the ability to transact in USD, Washington can make it uncomfortable for those it blacklists to do business.’

Balázs Orbán to Le Monde: ‘The Ukraine conflict is not our conflict’

Political Director for the Prime Minister of Hungary Balázs Orbán talked to the prominent French paper Le Monde. In the piece, he discussed Hungary’s pro-peace approach to the Russo⁠–⁠Ukrainian war, the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as Commission President, and Fidesz’s pursuit of joining a political group in the European Parliament as well.

Representatives of Athens and Corinth at the Court of Archidamas, King of Sparta, from the History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides

Should We Be Afraid of the ‘Thucydides Trap’?

The description of the Thucydides Trap is more a description of a spontaneous escalation rather than a well-calculated move towards changing the international order. Applied to the case of the US and China, the ‘Thucydides Trap’ is far removed from the reality and complexity of such power relations, beyond being a useful rhetorical tool.

Hezbollah Threatens Cyprus with War, EU with a Wave of Refugees

Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah threatens to use Syrian refugees as a political weapon while also warning Cyprus of a possible attack if the island nation assists Israel militarily. The group’s ability to manipulate refugee flows and its readiness to use military force against EU member states necessitate an effective and coordinated response from the European Union.