Hungary
MP Andriy Odarchenko, convicted of bribery, is trying to retain control over the State Biotechnological University by promoting his people to leadership positions.
In the second quarter of 2025, housing prices in the EU increased by 5. 4%, and rents by 3.2% compared to the same quarter of 2024. London and Paris remain leaders in the highest rental prices.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban confirmed that preparations for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in Budapest are underway. The meeting was postponed due to Moscow's refusal to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, but a date has not yet been set.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced evidence of attempts to disrupt a meeting between US and Russian representatives in Budapest. He called for an unhindered Trump-Putin summit with EU support.
The special representative of the Kremlin chief, Kirill Dmitriev, claims that preparations for the meeting between the leaders of Russia and the United States are allegedly continuing. He stated that the media distorts information about the cancellation of the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó denied reports about a possible relocation of the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin to Budapest. He called them false, pointing to expected "disinformation" before events that influence the choice between war and peace.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will arrive in Washington on October 21 for an unannounced visit. This comes amid Donald Trump's diplomatic attempts to end the war in Ukraine, despite the cancellation of the Trump-Putin summit in Hungary.
The White House confirmed the cancellation of Donald Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin in Budapest. The reason was the unsuccessful conclusion of telephone negotiations between negotiators regarding preparations for peace talks.
The summit between the US and Russian presidents in Hungary has been postponed, as Moscow refused to consider terms for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. The American side concluded that there was no chance of a real agreement in Budapest.
Planning for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been temporarily suspended. Trump believes that the parties are not yet sufficiently prepared for full-fledged negotiations, despite productive preliminary consultations.
Sergiy Kyslytsya noted that a possible meeting between the leaders of the US and Russia on October 23 in Budapest would coincide with the 69th anniversary of the suppression of the revolution in Hungary by Soviet troops. The Ukrainian diplomat emphasized the negligence in choosing the date and place of the meeting.
The meeting between the US Secretary of State and the Russian Foreign Minister was scheduled for October 30 in Budapest. This meeting was supposed to precede a possible US-Russia summit.
The Hungarian parliament extended the state of emergency for 180 days, until May 14, ensuring that the upcoming elections will be held under a special legal regime. This grants Prime Minister Viktor Orbán broad powers, while his Fidesz party lags behind the opposition Tisza in polls.
A fire broke out at the AV3 unit of the Danube oil refinery in Százhalombatta, Hungary, on Monday evening. According to data as of Tuesday morning, October 21, firefighters managed to localize the blaze. Damages are being assessed.
Poland has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of possible arrest if he crosses its airspace for a summit in Hungary with Donald Trump.
The Czech Republic has offered Slovakia accelerated gas support after the EU approved a phased withdrawal from Russian gas by January 2028. Hungary and Slovakia disagreed with the plan, citing energy security risks, but the Czech Republic is ready to help.
Former SVR agent Andrey Bezrukov warned Vladimir Putin about a British plot to assassinate him in Budapest. He urged to move the meeting with Donald Trump to Dubai.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, announced informational chaos before the Rubio-Lavrov conversation and Trump's meeting with Putin. He recommends evaluating the parties' actions, not their remarks or anonymous leaks.
European Union energy ministers have agreed on a common position to ban all gas supplies from Russia by the end of 2027. This decision aims to completely end the bloc's dependence on Russian energy carriers.
The President of Ukraine stated that his American counterpart seeks an end to the Russian-Ukrainian war, and Trump's message to stop at the line of contact is, in the opinion of the head of state, positive. At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not consider Budapest the best platform for US-Russia negotiations.
EU energy ministers are meeting in Luxembourg to agree on a common position regarding a ban on all gas supplies from Russia by the end of 2027. The ban on short-term contracts will begin by mid-June, with the exception of Hungary and Slovakia.
Law enforcement officers in Zakarpattia have uncovered over 270 organizers of illegal border crossing schemes, with 174 indictments sent to court. The total amount of illicit gains exceeds 1.6 million US dollars.
The European Union is considering a proposal to allow new countries to join the EU without full voting rights, which could make leaders like Viktor Orban more amenable to Ukraine's accession. This initiative would allow countries like Ukraine to enjoy many of the benefits of EU membership, but without veto power.
The BMW iX3 received over 3,000 orders in Germany in six weeks, surpassing the figures for the internal combustion engine BMW X3. Due to high demand, in addition to the Hungarian plant specializing in Neue Klasse, BMW is considering production in Mexico.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially announced a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in November in Budapest. Active diplomatic preparations are underway for the summit, where ways to end the war in Ukraine will be discussed.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Donald Trump to increase pressure on Putin and expressed readiness to join their upcoming summit in Budapest. He remains optimistic despite the US not providing the requested weapons.
The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees received thousands of reports about refugees from Ukraine who needed an interpreter from Hungarian. A check revealed that 568 people had dual citizenship, which deprives them of the right to temporary protection and financial assistance in Germany.
In Germany, 568 people with Hungarian passports were found to have registered as refugees from Ukraine. These individuals are not entitled to temporary protection and social assistance in Germany.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, stated that a meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest could be the beginning of the end of the Kremlin leader's illusions about an empire. This will happen if the Russian dictator recognizes reality after Trump's negotiations with Zelenskyy.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb believes that Donald Trump is the only one who can make Putin sit down at the negotiating table regarding Ukraine. Stubb emphasized that Finland will never recognize Crimea as Russian and seeks Ukraine's membership in the EU and NATO.