Putin’s buddy Orbán pushes EU to the brink over Ukraine

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán regularly pushes the EU to the cliff edge, but diplomats are panicking that his hostility to Ukraine is now about to finally kick the bloc over the precipice.

A brewing political crisis is set to boil over at a summit in mid-December when EU leaders are due to make a historic decision on bringing Ukraine into the 27-nation club and seal a key budget deal to throw a €50 billion lifeline to Kyiv’s flailing war economy. The meeting is supposed to signal to the U.S. that, despite the political distraction over the war in the Middle East, the EU is fully committed to Ukraine. 

Orbán accused of trying to silence all critics in Hungary with new law

Hungary’s leading civil society groups have accused Viktor Orbán of trying to “silence all critical voices” in the country after proposing legislation to create a “sovereignty protection office” investigating foreign influence.

For years, the Hungarian prime minister has promoted a narrative that external forces are trying to undermine his government and prop up his opponents.

In a speech this month, the longtime leader said “dark forces” would “continue to besiege the defensive lines of sovereignty, including those of Hungary”.

European leaders seethe over Putin-Orbán meeting

European leaders must not “fall” for the tactics of Vladimir Putin, the Czech president, Petr Pavel, has said, two days after Hungary’s prime minister shook hands with Russia’s leader.

Viktor Orbán, in a rare move for the leader of a country that belongs to the EU and Nato, met Putin in Beijing on Tuesday for what the Hungarian leader’s office described as a discussion on energy cooperation and peace.

Russia’s Putin, Hungary’s Orban reaffirm bond ahead of Beijing summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban have underscored their countries’ strong ties ahead of an international forum in Beijing, saying that continuing “geopolitical tensions” due to the war in Ukraine do not affect their relationship.

“Despite the fact that in the current geopolitical conditions, the possibilities for keeping contact and developing relations are very limited, it cannot but cause satisfaction that our ties with many European countries are maintained and developed,” Putin said, according to Russian news agencies.

“One of those countries is Hungary.”

Viktor Orbán’s pet university is all about propaganda – I know, I was there

Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), the conservative Hungarian educational institution funded by Viktor Orbán’s rightwing government, has been expanding internationally. It opened a centre in Brussels, bought a university in Vienna and has plans for new branches in other western European cities, including London.

I did a fellowship with MCC in Budapest last year and am concerned about the institution’s expansion. Its views are closely aligned with those of Orbán, and it funds academics who disseminate Orbán’s positions. In a way, it serves to extend his influence across Europe and beyond.

Viktor Orbán tells Tucker Carlson: Trump’s the man to save the West

Ukraine has no chance of winning the war against Russia — and Donald Trump is the West’s only hope, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told controversial American TV host Tucker Carlson.

In an interview Tuesday, Orbán said that Kyiv’s victory against Moscow “is not just a misunderstanding. It is a lie. It’s impossible … [Ukrainians] will run out earlier … of soldiers than the Russians. What finally will count is boots on the ground and the Russians are far stronger.”

Hungary’s Orban Says He Will Amend Constitution To Keep Out Migrants

BUDAPEST, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Under fire from opposition parties, Viktor Orban said on Monday he would amend the constitution to ensure the European Union cannot settle migrants in Hungary after Sunday’s referendum even though turnout was too low to make the vote valid.

The outcome deprived the maverick right-wing prime minister of a clear-cut victory with which to challenge EU migrant quotas and the radical nationalist Jobbik party called on him to quit.