Joint US-Korean Military Drills Are Back in South Korea

While joint US-Korean military drills were scaled down in the last couple of years, now they have returned in their past size as tens of thousands of soldiers train for a potential invasion of South Korea until 1 September. The drills are a show of force not only to Pyongyang, but to Beijing, too.

Should the West Reintroduce Mandatory Military Service?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine forced most NATO members to reckon with the poor shape of their military and left them searching for quick fixes. Countless procurement programmes have been signed for new weaponry, but we’re still short of manpower. Compulsory service, perhaps even for women, may prove to be the only answer.

President-elect Donald Trump (L) with US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) during a campaign rally at the J.S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, on 4 November 2024

With Rubio, Waltz, Next Trump Administration’s Foreign Policy Looks Promising for Hungary

Press reports indicate that in Donald Trump’s new administration Marco Rubio will be appointed Secretary of State, and Mike Waltz will take on the role of national security advisor. These likely appointments are promising for Hungary, as both politicians hold views on key issues—such as the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East—that align with Budapest’s foreign policy.

A man in a military uniform stays in a burning wheat field as Russian troops shell fields to prevent local farmers from harvesting grain crops, Polohy district, Zaporizhzhia Region, southeastern Ukraine. This photo cannot be distributed in the Russian Federation.NO USE RUSSIA. NO USE BELARUS. (Photo by Dmytro Smolyenko / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFP)

Who Is to Blame for Last Week’s Air Pollution Explosion?

‘Although almost all of Hungary was covered in noxious and harmful air for the entire weekend, so too was more than half of Central and Northern Europe, with countries such as Denmark, Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, as well as Italy also being directly affected by the emanations (wherever they may have come from)….But what is the cause?’

Hungarian American scoutmaster, retired mathematics teacher Viktor Fischer

‘The scout-bug is still inside me’ — A Conversation with Former New York Scoutmaster Viktor Fischer

In October 1951, Zoltán Vasvári, a.k.a. ‘Zolibá’, a former Hungarian military officer, gathered the sons of many Hungarian families in his New York apartment to introduce them to Hungarian scouting. Viktor Fischer joined the first patrol in the spring of 1952, and, as he puts it, ‘the scout bug has remained’ in him ever since. A conversation about a long and fruitful life, dedicated to teaching and to the Hungarian American community of the New York area.

Prime Minister Orbán Highlights Hungary’s Growing Diplomatic Influence

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán highlighted Hungary’s diplomatic rise after hosting two landmark summits, marking Budapest as a key player in European diplomacy. Orbán shared insights into Hungary’s renewed ties with the United States under President Trump, Hungary’s economic agenda, and the bold policy goals embedded in the recent Budapest Declaration.

Trump Allegedly Calls Putin, Warns Against Escalating the Conflict in Ukraine

Although less than a week has passed since the US presidential election, President-elect Donald Trump has already spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine, at least according to American media reports. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the news as ‘pure fiction’ and stressed that Putin has no specific plans to speak with Trump at present.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Viktor Orbán and President of the European Council Charles Michel (L-R) in Budapest at the conclusion of the informal summit of EU leaders on 8 November 2024.

The Budapest Declaration on Competitiveness — New Opportunities for the European Defence Sector

One of the most pressing issues in enhancing the competitiveness of Europe is the need to optimize defence spending. Europeans now spend much more on defence in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, with ten European NATO members set to reach the 2 per cent of GDP spending threshold by the end of 2024. However, developing and acquiring modern weapon systems of cutting-edge technology demand an exponential level of spending for development and production, which can hamstring the capabilities of nation-states if they want to fit out their armies fully with domestically produced equipment, from building tools to jet fighters.