Ukraine Refuses to Renew Gazprom Contract, Raising New Concerns Over Hungarian Energy Security

Ukraine’s decision not to renew its contract with Gazprom has raised concerns in many about how Russian gas will reach Europe in the future. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Russia could still meet European customers’ needs through the Turkish Stream pipeline, but at a higher cost than before. This latest move by Ukraine poses yet another threat to Hungary’s energy security.

People in pirogues navigate their way in the slum community of Makoko in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, on 19 October 2022

The Geopolitics of the Demographic Shift

‘The demographic shift also suggests a move towards an increasingly multipolar world order. Not bipolar, but multipolar. While the West’s demographic weight is rapidly declining, so is that of its main opponent, China, and to such an extent that its aspirations to take over the role of global hegemon from the United States no longer seem feasible, and its economy may even slide into stagnation.’

Hungarian Government Denies Rumours of Single-Member Constituencies Across the Border

From time to time, the left-wing media circulate rumours that the Hungarian government is planning to create single-member constituencies in areas inhabited by Hungarians living beyond the border, such as Transylvania or Carpathia. This time, it was Péter Magyar, the leader of the opposition Tisza party, who initiated the spread of these false rumours, which the government has repeatedly denied. The left has consistently looked down upon Hungarians living beyond the borders, continually blaming them for their own political failures.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev hold a meeting at Ak Saray Presidential Palace in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 23 August 2024.

Azerbaijani and Uzbek Green Energy to Be Exported to Europe through Hungary

Hungary has been proactive in building strong economic ties and investing in energy production in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan. Hungarian companies, such as MVM and MOL groups, play a key role in oil production in Kazakhstan and natural gas production in Azerbaijan. Notably, Hungary recently acquired a 5 per cent share in Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz natural gas field. The successful operations of Hungarian businesses in these countries, combined with the development of economic and transit projects, have elevated Hungary’s role within the EU as a bridge to these energy-rich nations, enhancing the EU’s access to diversified energy resources.

Viktor Orbán Assesses Hungary’s Performance at the Olympics

The Hungarian prime minister has granted an interview to sports daily Nemzeti Sport to discuss the country’s performance at the Paris Olympics this summer. While he believes that the six gold medals won is a ‘respectable showing’, he also thinks that Hungary’s rightful place is in the top ten in the medal table. Also, while he is proud of his country being the best-performing in Eastern Europe, he thinks that it is the interest of Hungary that other countries in the region be successful in sports as well.