US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Hungary and Slovakia next week. The visit comes after Donald Trump endorsed Viktor Orban, who is trailing in the polls ahead of the elections.
Donald Trump, in a Truth Social Post, expressed support for Viktor Orbán, calling him a strong leader who tirelessly fights for his country. Trump endorsed his re-election as Prime Minister of Hungary.
According to a Publicus Institute poll, 48% of decided voters support the Tisza party, while 40% are ready to vote for Fidesz. Thus, the opposition maintains an eight percentage point lead.
In Budapest, the Roma community protested against Minister János Lázár's statements regarding the segregated education of Roma children. Activists demand an apology and condemnation of segregation from the government.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned Hungarian Ambassador Antal Heizer over false statements about Ukraine's interference in the elections. The Ukrainian side called on Hungary to stop anti-Ukrainian rhetoric.
The Hungarian government has launched a campaign to collect signatures against EU funding for Ukraine, arguing that it threatens to impoverish Hungarians. The campaign is unfolding ahead of elections where Orbán's party could lose its lead.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that the peace plan for Ukraine envisages its accession to the European Union on January 1, 2027. However, he noted that some EU member states, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia, would not agree to this.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reacted to Viktor Orban's statements about blocking Ukraine's accession to the EU. Sybiha accused Orban of fulfilling "Putin's whim" and compared him to Hungarian politicians during World War II.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that his country's parliament would not vote for Ukraine's accession to the EU for the next 100 years. Official Kyiv reacted, hinting that this plan is doomed to fail, as "the master in Moscow" will not last that long.
A new public conflict erupted between the leaders of Ukraine and Hungary. Orban accused Zelenskyy of unwillingness to end the war.
Hungary has received an invitation from Donald Trump to join the US-created Peace Council. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán confirmed the acceptance of this invitation.
On December 19, the European Union approved €90 billion in funding for Ukraine, which the country will repay after receiving reparations from Russia. Journalists found out how this process took place.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni put more than 270 state gifts up for auction, including python skin shoes and an iPad from Zelenskyy. The total value of the lots is about 800,000 euros, and the sale is due to a law prohibiting keeping gifts worth more than 300 euros.
Hungarian state energy company MVM Group and Romanian E. ON Group have mutually agreed to terminate the agreement for the acquisition of a 68% stake in E.ON Energie Romania and a 98% stake in E.ON Asist. The Romanian government did not support the deal due to concerns about MVM's ties with Russia.
EU diplomats are trying to find a compromise on financial aid to Ukraine ahead of the bloc's leaders' summit. Options being considered include a loan based on frozen Russian assets or joint EU debt.
Russian intelligence organized a campaign to intimidate Belgian politicians and Euroclear top managers to block the use of frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine. The attack targeted key Euroclear officials, where most of Russia's frozen assets are held.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of financial support for Ukraine through the issuance of joint EU debt, as an alternative to using frozen Russian sovereign assets. This comes ahead of a meeting of EU leaders where ways to finance Ukraine will be discussed amid its expected deficit of 135 billion euros by 2027.
The EU leaders' summit on Thursday will test whether the bloc can hold together or whether US President Donald Trump can divide it. Officials of the Trump administration have been pushing European governments to reject a plan to use 210 billion euros of Russian assets to finance Ukraine.
Hungary has blocked the European Union's enlargement statement, preventing Ukraine from starting EU accession negotiations. 26 EU member states support Ukraine, but Hungary did not support a positive assessment of its efforts.
The US President called the bloc's members 'weak', but joint action on funding for Ukraine would send a 'very strong signal', according to Kaja Kallas.
Belgium opposed the European Commission's proposals to unblock a €210 billion loan for Ukraine, financed by frozen Russian assets. This dashes the EU's hopes for a deal before the leaders' summit, as Belgium considers the guarantees provided insufficient.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Lenin is the architect of the independent Polish state. She claims that without Lenin, Poland would not exist.
EU ambassadors in Brussels today are discussing the European Commission's amendments to the reparations loan proposal for financing Ukraine. These amendments aim to address the concerns of Belgium, as well as Italy, Bulgaria, and Malta, who are calling for alternative options.
Estonian President Alar Karis believes that Hungary should be helped to pay fines for terminating energy agreements with Russia. These agreements, some of which are valid until the 2040s, were concluded by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to ensure further supplies of cheap energy.
Latvia has allocated 5 million euros for the purchase of drones for Ukraine, redirecting funds intended for the European Peace Facility. This decision was made due to Hungary's blocking of military support for Ukraine through the EPF.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized the EU's initiative to use frozen Russian assets, calling it dangerous and equating it to a declaration of war, and also accused European leaders of a misguided financial approach to supporting Ukraine.
Italy, Belgium, Malta, and Bulgaria have opposed the EU's plan to transfer 210 billion euros of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. They are calling on the European Commission to consider alternative options for financial assistance, such as joint EU debt.
The latest draft peace agreement on Ukraine, discussed by US and Ukrainian officials with the support of Brussels, envisages Ukraine's accession to the EU by January 1, 2027. This could force Brussels to reconsider the accession process for new members due to the tight deadlines.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is preparing to become the country's president by amending the Constitution and endowing this position with new powers. This will allow him to maintain control over the country regardless of the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The European Union is developing strategies to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to support the allocation of 210 billion euros to Ukraine. If Belgium continues to block the plan, it may be ignored at the EU level, similar to Hungary.
