Feb 01 EU seals deal for 50 billion-euro aid package for Ukraine, overcoming Hungary’s veto threat By Lorne Cook, Samuel Petrequin, Associated Press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed it as a “very important” decision. His country could receive the first tranche of funds as soon as March, once the European Parliament has endorsed the deal. Continue reading
Jan 25 Turkey formally ratifies Sweden’s NATO membership, leaving Hungary as only ally yet to endorse it By Associated Press Turkey has published a measure approving Sweden's membership in NATO in its official gazette. That finalizes the ratification, bringing the previously nonaligned country a step closer to joining the military alliance. Continue reading
Jan 24 Hungary is the last holdout for Sweden’s NATO membership. So when will Orbán follow Turkey’s lead? By Justin Spike, Associated Press After more than a year of delays, and consistent urging from its Western partners to move forward with Sweden's application, the Central European country and its conservative populist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, are once again in the spotlight. Continue reading
Dec 14 European Union agrees to open membership negotiations with Ukraine By Raf Cassert, Samuel Petrequin, Associated Press The decision represented a stunning reversal for a country at war that had struggled to find the necessary backing for its membership aspirations and long faced opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Continue reading
Oct 26 Live updates: What’s happening in the Israel-Hamas war after Israeli troops briefly enter Gaza By Associated Press Israeli airstrikes have devastated parts of the Gaza Strip, leaving neighborhoods in rubble and hospitals struggling to treat masses of wounded with diminishing resources. Continue reading
Oct 24 Hungary in the spotlight after Turkey approves Sweden’s bid to join NATO By Justin Spike, Associated Press The delay on Tuesday comes as Hungary remains the main hurdle to Sweden's admission into NATO after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan submitted a protocol to Turkey's parliament on Monday to approve its admission. Continue reading
Oct 23 Orbán blasts the EU on the anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet uprising By Justin Spike, Associated Press Orbán accused the EU of seeking to strip Hungary of its identity by imposing a model of liberal democracy that he said Hungarians reject. Continue reading
Aug 01 U.S. restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders over security concerns By Bela Szandelszky, Associated Press The restrictions apply to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which allows passport holders from 40 countries to enter the United States for business or tourism without a visa for up to 90 days. Continue reading
Jul 19 Five European countries will extend ban on Ukraine’s grain By Monika Scislowska, Associated Press The declaration said they support continuing to allow Ukraine’s grain to move through their borders by road, rail and river to destinations where it is needed but will keep the import ban to their countries through 2023. Continue reading
May 04 At CPAC, Hungary’s Viktor Orban decries LGBTQ+ rights, migration By Justin Spike, Associated Press Hungary's populist prime minister has likened liberalism to a "virus" in an opening speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the Hungarian capital on Thursday. Continue reading