The Hungarian Institute of International Affairs’ first EastSec Forum examined Europe’s shifting security landscape amid the Russo–Ukrainian war. Speakers, including HIIA President Gladden J Pappin and Zachary Paikin of the Quincy Institute, stressed Hungary’s growing mediating role, the collapse of post–Cold War security structures, and the need to rebuild guarantees for lasting peace.
‘Since the masses are easily manipulated, democracy is the natural breeding ground for demagogues, and a straight path leads from it to totalitarianism.’
Hungary’s upcoming war drama Dragons over Kabul uses an unprecedented scale of CGI to recreate the 2021 Kabul evacuation mission. The filmmakers say the production aims to honour the dedication, courage and sacrifice of Hungarian soldiers.
‘Rather than embracing theoretical frameworks like the concept of the EU as a “liberal empire”, what is now needed is a far more pragmatic approach—one that focuses on enhancing economic competitiveness and developing strategies aimed at strengthening the role of the EU in the global economy.’
Once upon a time, there was a coffee house called Belvárosi Café, one of the largest and most prestigious cafés in Pest, which was the first to reopen its doors after the siege of Budapest. Its manager, Egon Rónay, was the scion of a famous hospitality dynasty and the initiator of the English gastronomic revolution.
‘Pokrovsk’s encirclement emerged from these dynamics not as a sudden catastrophe but as the predictable outcome of long-developing trends.’
Under what conditions can the Ukrainian war end? Can there be a military confrontation between the US and China over Taiwan? What could be the future of the Gaza Strip? We asked for an analysis from the renowned scholar of international relations on the three major geopolitical conflict areas: the Ukrainian war, the Middle East, and the Pacific Region conflict.
‘The Russians copied the engine and implemented it into a very good aerial design that became the MiG-15 fighter jet.’
The multinational reserve exercise Moonstar 2025 has begun in Hungary, bringing together around 150 Hungarian, Polish, and Slovak reservists for live-fire tactical training, with Slovenian and Croatian observers also taking part.
Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky confirmed that Hungary plans to acquire HIMARS rocket artillery systems from the United States, marking a new phase in bilateral defence cooperation. He said talks at the Pentagon followed the Trump–Orbán summit, which removed political obstacles that had stalled military contracts under the previous US administration.