Hungarian mechanical engineer Tibor Kapu, aged 32, was selected from 240 applicants to go on the next Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station, where he will spend two weeks.
“After more than 45 years, Hungary will soon have an astronaut again,” Portfolio.hu. Electrical engineer Gyula Cserényi, 35, will remain on the ground as a reserve astronaut.
Ax-4 is a cooperation between NASA and private companies Axiom Space and SpaceX. Some 60 experiments will be conducted, the most conducted on an Axiom mission to date, focused on a future private space station and the physical impact of longer manned space flights, such as to Mars.
This mission had been scheduled for takeoff from Kennedy Space Station in late 2024 or early 2025, but was postponed, first due to weather and now indefinitely due to an oxygen leak on the SpaceX rocket and other technical problems on ISS.
The Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) program was launched in 2021, and the recruitment process then started for the next Hungarian research astronaut, notes Portfolio.
Training in Houston began in August 2024 for both Kapu and Cserényi. Kapu will serve as mission specialist along with Polish Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewsk and be joined by American commander Peggy Whitson and Indian pilot Shubanshu Shukla.
American and Russian experts have been continuously working to fix the issue on the ISS to make sure the station can host additional astronauts.
The HUNOR research program, based on input from several Hungarian universities and companies will feature experiments to study the behavior of certain human bacterial, viral and fungal microbiomes under space conditions; nanofiber ophthalmic implants in microgravity; the defense mechanisms of fruit flies against radiation-induced DNA damage; the effects of space travel on 3D-printed materials; and upper atmosphere thunderstorms.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in an exclusive interview with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro during CPAC Hungary, sharply criticized the West’s handling of the war in Ukraine and declared that only one leader, U.S. President Donald Trump, understands that the conflict cannot be won militarily.
“Everyone must realize that this war cannot be won in the trenches,” Orbán said, directly challenging the belief among Western governments that a Ukrainian military victory is still achievable.
According to the Hungarian leader, both Moscow and Kyiv are entrenched in unrealistic expectations, and European leaders are equally unwilling to acknowledge the war’s political dead end.
“The only person who doesn’t believe this war can be won is the president of the United States: Donald Trump,” Orbán said. “Only the Americans can bring peace through talks with the Russians. That’s the key.”
Orbán argued that a negotiated settlement can only emerge from U.S.-Russian dialogue, not from further fighting in Ukraine. In his view, Washington is already leaning toward a political resolution, but is being undermined by European elites who continue to push for more conflict.
“Europeans do not support the U.S. president’s peace initiative. In fact, they want to drag him back to the pro-war position,” he said. “The most important thing is for the West to support the American president in unison – this could bring peace.”
Orbán emphasized that the European establishment’s fixation on defeating Russia is further encouraging Ukraine to prolong the conflict in hopes of more Western aid.
“In reality, the Russians want to reach the borders of the four regions they have chosen. And the Ukrainians hope that if they continue the war, they will receive even more money, weapons, technology, and reconstruction support from Europe and maybe America,” he said.
In a broader reflection on global politics, Orbán advocated for a more grounded approach: “In politics, you shouldn’t plan too many steps ahead. Sometimes you just need to look at the most important goal. Approach it, and then we’ll see how it goes.”
A Dutch independent journalist says it is criminal for the Kyiv regime not to accept its fallen soldiers. Meanwhile, Washington is apparently “fed up” with Zelensky and has already laid plans to oust him.
Sonja van den Ende told Russian state media portal RIA Novosti that she had examined a refrigerator where the bodies of dead Ukrainian soldiers are being stored and that the refusal of the Ukrainian side to accept the bodies is a crime of the Kyiv regime.
“It’s terrible, it’s actually a crime because these soldiers fought for the country, they were sent to fight at the front, and now they apparently don’t want to take them back. We already knew that there is a criminal regime in Kyiv, and what is happening confirms this,” van der Ende told the news agency.
The journalist added that she and several other European colleagues are trying to convey the real state of affairs to their audience, noting that in the Netherlands, people are increasingly asking questions about why support is being provided to Ukraine.
Van der Ende also stressed Russia’s very different stance on exchanging and transferring bodies.
“I know many media outlets that will show footage of refrigerated trucks. And they will say that Ukraine does not want to accept them. I am sure that independent alternative media will write about this,” she said, adding that events like those taking place in the Bryansk region convince more and more Europeans to follow alternative sources of information and to study more closely the official position of the Russian authorities in the Ukrainian conflict.
Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky was forced to comment on the situation with the exchange of prisoners of war and the transfer of bodies of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to Ukraine in accordance with the Istanbul agreements, since the Ukrainian side did not show up at the place of the proposed exchange, although the date was announced in advance.
In a report out of another Russian site, and repeated by TASS, former Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov says the United States is ready to remove Volodymyr Zelensky as president altogether.
Azarov specifically pointed to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office arresting Leonid Mindich, “the well-known wallet of Andriy Yermak and Zelensky.” Yermak is the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Mindich is also a relative of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s business partner Timur Mindich.
The former PM said the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office was created by the U.S. They “staffed it entirely with their own people,” he told Rossiya 24, and this staff “only obeys the Americans,” inferring that the United States gave the order to detain Mindich at the Romanian border.
Azarov also said it was clear “serious work has begun” to remove Zelensky because some 100 auditors from the United States arrived in Kyiv to monitor the spending of funds allocated by Washington.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says a demonstration of force is needed to force Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, writes Odesa.novyny. Now, many are worried that Putin may beat them to it with his own “extreme” retaliatory measures after Ukraine attacked Russian air bases.
Regarding Russia’s nuclear stockpile, Pompeo warned that this is a serious threat.
“I am glad that Putin has not used his nuclear arsenal so far, but this danger is always present. According to my observations, he is willing to change his behavior only when he sees that the opponent is ready to strike back and take risks,” he said.
There are also those in the U.S. military establishment who seem to be worried about the consequences of the attack.
“The risk levels are going way up,” Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia, said in a Fox News interview. “When you attack an opponent’s part of their [nuclear] triad, your risk level goes up because you don’t know what the other side is going to do. And that’s what they did.”
Dan Caldwell, an influential foreign policy adviser who worked as a senior aide to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth until he was purged due to a leaking scandal last month, said: “It is not in America’s interest for Ukraine to be attacking Russia’s strategic nuclear forces the day before another round of peace talks.”
“This has the potential to be highly escalatory and raises the risk of direct confrontation between Russia and NATO,” he said. “The U.S. should not only distance itself from this attack but end any support that could directly or indirectly enable attacks against Russian strategic nuclear forces.”
U.K.’s Express has also written about the increased threat of Putin going nuclear. Russian press and military bloggers are abuzz that Putin and his inner circle are demanding an “extreme response” to Ukraine’s ‘Pearl Harbour’ attack.
The drone offensive attack by Kyiv on air bases deep inside Russian territory is said to have caused damage estimated as high as €6 billion. The strike is believed to have damaged at least 40 war planes, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M heavy bombers.
Even in the U.S., influential conservative commentators are raising the alarm that the drone attack marks a major turning point in the war.
“Most people aren’t paying attention, but we’re closer to nuclear war than we’ve been since this began in 2022,” said Charlie Kirk, who is close to the Trump administration, and leads the Turning Point USA organization.
As for Pompeo, a well known war hawk, he is calling for even more support for Ukraine despite what he says is the threat of nuclear war. His comments came at the second international Black Sea Security Forum in Odessa, during which he also said the U.S. had not done enough to stop Putin from invading in 2022.
The former foreign minister reiterated that all NATO member states must stand united with Ukraine and support action against Russian influence.
“I regret that more was not done in 2014, that more was not done in 2022, that we lost deterrence. And now our task is to return everything to stability. I was involved in the Minsk negotiations (…) we have already sat at that table (negotiations — ed.), and there was no ‘hammer,’ there were no levers of influence,” he is quoted as saying.
Pompeo was also insistent that abandoning Ukraine is not an option for the United States and that the West “cannot return to Russian gas” even if peace is achieved.
With German Chancellor Friedrich Merz headed to Washington, Donald Trump appears to be rolling out the red carpet for the German leader. In fact, the tone of the Trump White House has notably shifted recently, with Trump apparently warming to the German leader.
One key reason is that Germany is signaling a new era of defense spending, a move that Trump has long called for from America’s NATO allies. Merz is not talking about a token billion euros here or there, but tens of billions.
In turn, the German chancellor is being honored in Washington with a stay at the Blair House, which Welt newspaper describes as a “highly symbolic gesture.”
“This historic residence, situated directly across from the White House, typically accommodates US presidents on the eve of their inauguration and has hosted esteemed foreign dignitaries like Charles de Gaulle, Winston Churchill, Angela Merkel, and even Vladimir Putin in 2001. Notably, Olaf Scholz, Merz’s predecessor, was lodged in a Pennsylvania Avenue hotel during his tenure,” writes Welt.
Trump may prefer the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in power, but Merz is certainly preferable for Trump to other German left-wing politicians. Merz, for his part, has at least talked tough on immigration. He is also a defense hawk who is promising to rearm Germany. Trump and he could find much common ground ahead.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been openly critical of Europeans for their lack of defense spending, but his tone has also changed on Germany.
Just days ago, he said at a Singapore conference that “it’s a bit hard to believe I’m saying this but Asian allies should look to countries in Europe as a newfound example. NATO members are pledging to spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense, even Germany.”
Elbridge Colby, a prominent China hawk and a key figure in the U.S. regarding security policy during Trump’s first presidency, talked of “encouraging signals” from Berlin after meeting with Jasper Wieck, the director of the German Defense Ministry.
Colby stated that the German government would increase defense spending and that Germany would assume the role of leading conventional defense power.
“We at the Pentagon will work hard on this essential task of restoring NATO to a strong, secure, and balanced alliance,” said Colby.
The Trump administration now views China as the main geopolitical threat facing the United States. Tied to this is the belief that other NATO allies must step up their own defenses, as the U.S. cannot be expected to fight a war in defense of Taiwan and handle a European land war at the same time.
However, sharp differences still exist between Trump and Merz, namely on the issue of tariffs. Merz has called for European unity in the face of a trade war with the United States. Germany’s industrial sector faces serious headwinds if Trump moves forward with further tariffs against Europe, and Merz will likely have this issue at the top of his list when meeting with Trump this Thursday.
Several senior members of the U.S. House of Representatives have written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demanding answers over what they describe as possible foreign interference in Poland’s presidential election campaign.
The letter, led by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, calls on the European Commission to investigate a wave of political advertisements that allegedly violated Polish election law by promoting opposition candidate Rafał Trzaskowski and discrediting his rivals, PiS-backed Karol Nawrocki and Confederation-backed Sławomir Mentzen.
The letter was also signed by Keith Self, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Europe, and five other Republican lawmakers. The group cites investigative reporting by Wirtualna Polska, which linked the online ads to Estratos, an Austrian company reportedly backed by Americans with ties to the Democratic Party, as well as a Polish NGO that has received funding from “organizations funded by U.S. Democratic Party megadonor George Soros’ Open Society Foundations.”
“Estratos is the same organization that reportedly played a key role backing the anti-Viktor Orban opposition in Hungary’s 2022 elections,” the letter adds.
According to the Polish media outlet, the Facebook pages “Wiesz Jak Nie Jest” (You Know How It Is Not) and “Stół Dorosłych” (Adult Table) spent more on ads than any official election committee. These ads, appearing just before the second round of voting, encouraged support for Trzaskowski while attacking right-wing candidates Karol Nawrocki and Sławomir Mentzen.
The ads’ origin has raised alarm because, under Polish electoral law, only official committees and voters are allowed to conduct campaign activity — foreign-funded organizations and companies are strictly barred. Wirtualna Polska reports that 80 percent of Estratos is owned by “Higher Ground Labs, a U.S. fund operated by major Democratic Party operatives who helped run the U.S. presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Kamala Harris.”
The remaining 20 percent is controlled by Hungarian liberals — a key figure in the company is Ádám Ficsor, who once served as Hungary’s minister for special services under former Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai.
The letter claims that “approximately 420,000 PLN ($105,000)” has been spent in “allegedly ‘illegal political ads’ posted by the Polish NGO on Facebook since April 10, 2025, in support of Trzaskowski.”
“The integrity of democratic processes may have been undermined,” it adds.
The congressmen also criticize what they see as political bias in the treatment of Poland’s governing Law and Justice (PiS) party.
“Equally disturbing are reports of the Tusk government’s monthslong refusal to release tens of millions of dollars in public campaign funding that PiS is legally entitled to receive, defying a ruling by the Supervisory Chamber of Poland’s Supreme Court, a payment demand from Poland’s National Electoral Commission, and an opinion by Poland’s Ombudsman (Human Rights Commissioner) Marcin Wiące to release the money,” it reads.
As a result, U.S. lawmakers are demanding answers to the following questions from the European Commission, which it claims is potentially guilty of “double standards” in its crackdown on alleged rule of law violations under the previous conservative government, yet turning a blind eye to those conducted by organizations favorable to the liberal Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a former president of the European Council and leader of the European People’s Party:
1. What entities provided the $105,000 (420,000 PLN) used for the Facebook advertisements promoting Rafał Trzaskowski, and did any of these funds originate from foreign sources in violation of Polish electoral law?
2. What role, if any, did Estratos Digital GmbH and its U.S.-based owner, Higher Ground Labs, play in coordinating or financing these advertisements, and to what extent were U.S. Democratic Party operatives directly involved?
3. How does the Commission justify its failure to address the Tusk government’s refusal to release millions of dollars in court-ordered funding to PiS, given its prior sanctions against the prior PiS government for rule-of-law violations?
4. Why has the Commission remained silent on Finance Minister Andrzej Domański’s defiance of Poland’s Supreme Court, National Electoral Commission, and Ombudsman rulings, given its previous vocal criticism and aggressive actions against the PiS government?
5. What oversight mechanisms, if any, has the Commission implemented to prevent foreign-funded NGOs, such as those linked to George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, from influencing Poland’s 2025 presidential election?
The signatories urged von der Leyen to launch a full investigation.
The second round of the Polish presidential election is scheduled to take place on June 1, with a run-off between the liberal Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski and conservative Karol Nawrocki.
Members of the United States House of Representatives have sent a letter to the European Commission warning that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government is violating the rights of opposition parties and its political opponents in general.
Signed by Republican congressmen Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, as well as fellow Republicans Darrel Issa, Chris Smith, Warren Davidson, and Andy Harris, the letter was sent to Michael McGrath, EU Commissioner for Justice and the Rule of Law.
The letter claims that the current authorities in Warsaw are using the justice system for political purposes, which in their opinion may threaten freedom of speech not only in Poland, but also in the United States.
“This apparent double standard raises concerns about the EU’s impartiality and its commitment to protecting fundamental rights across all member states. The EU’s silence may embolden the Tusk government’s censorship efforts, leading the Polish government to seek global removal of speech it disagrees with, which could ultimately result in the censorship of American speech,” it reads.
It further states that Tusk’s actions against the conservative Law & Justice party (PiS), its supporters, and members of the Catholic Church “appear designed to silence and damage its political opposition ahead of Poland’s 2025 presidential election.”
The letter touches upon how investigators under Tusk have “severely mistreated” those associated with PiS, including Barbara Skrzypek, the former director of PiS Chairman Jarosław Kaczyński’s office who died a few days after many hours of interrogation, as well as Father Olszewski who was “inhumanely treated” after his arrest, which was deemed by most as politically motivated.
It also questions Tusk’s actions against conservative media at odds with his government’s agenda, saying these “raise concerns about whether the Tusk government is upholding the EU’s democratic values and whether it will further attempt to silence its political rivals by using anti-democratic laws like the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) to censor speech that criticizes the Tusk government.”
The congressmen do not shy away from calling out the double standards seemingly in effect in Brussels, as while criticism of Poland under PiS was rife and the EP was happy to strip conservative MEPs of their immunity, no such bias nor criticisms seem to exist for Tusk and his team.
The congressmen called on Commissioner McGrath to organize a briefing on these matters “as soon as possible,” asking specifically “how the EU plans to implement a new European Democracy Shield, which will address so-called ‘misinformation’ in a manner that will not chill Americans’ free speech rights.”
This is not the first time that congressmen have publicly expressed concern about the situation in Poland, notes Salon24. Previously, back in 2021, Democratic representatives called for changes to the Code of Administrative Law in the field of restitution of property of Holocaust victims. In turn, the lex TVN project prompted both senators and representatives of the U.S. House of Representatives to write an appeal. The law was finally vetoed by President Andrzej Duda.
The Prague Stock Exchange reached a new all-time high on Monday, buoyed by investor optimism following an interim trade agreement between the United States and China. The PX index rose 1.04 percent to close at 2,168.26 points, according to official data from the exchange website.
“Today’s positive mood of investors, brought about by the agreement between the USA and China on the reduction of tariffs, also benefited the Prague Stock Exchange,” said Vladimír Vávra, a broker at Wood & Company, as cited by Echo24.
Trading volume was robust, totaling approximately CZK 885 million (€35.4 million) — well above average for the local market. More than two-thirds of that activity was concentrated in banking sector stocks, which led the gains.
Erste Bank posted the strongest performance of the day, rising 3.06 percent to CZK 1,799.50. Komerční banka followed with a 1.91 percent gain to CZK 1,065. Moneta Money Bank also advanced by 1.54 percent to CZK 145.20.
In contrast, shares in energy giant ČEZ declined 0.92 percent to CZK 1,180. The drop came amid news that the European Commission has asked that Czechia delay signing a contract for two new nuclear reactors at the Dukovany power plant. The Commission is currently reviewing whether the selected bidder, South Korea’s KHNP, received foreign subsidies that could distort the EU’s internal market.
Some Czech officials, however, believe the move is motivated by the fact that the competing French company lost the bid.
Elsewhere in the financial landscape, the Czech koruna weakened against both the euro and the U.S. dollar. By late afternoon, it stood at CZK 24.99/EUR, down two hellers from Friday, and at CZK 22.49/USD, its weakest level in roughly a month, having lost 34 hellers. This data was reported by Patria Online around 17:00.
The rally in Prague mirrored a broader global market upswing. On Wall Street, U.S. indices posted strong gains as investor sentiment improved following the tariff truce between Washington and Beijing. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 2.81 percent to 42,410.10 points. The S&P 500 climbed 3.26 percent to 5,844.19, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 4.35 percent to close at 18,708.34.
As part of the 90-day interim agreement, the United States agreed to reduce newly imposed tariffs on Chinese imports from 145 percent to 30 percent. In return, China will lower its tariffs on American imports from 125 percent to 10 percent.
The deal aims to provide a temporary reprieve from the ongoing trade tensions, with both countries committing to further negotiations during the three-month window.
According to Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Turkey or China could also mediate between Ukraine and Russia if the United States really withdraws from the negotiations, the Kyiv Independent reports.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski says Turkey or China could be suitable mediators if the United States withdrew from talks. Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw, Sikorski said he hoped the United States would be successful in its mediation efforts.
“But if this path turns out to be unsuccessful, there are other candidates,” Sikorski added. “There is Turkey, which maintains channels of communication. And then, above all, there is the People’s Republic of China, which, more than anyone else, has the means to make (Russian President Vladimir) Putin come to the negotiating table and soften his demands,” the Polish foreign minister has said, according to European Pravda.
Just a week ago, U.S. President Trump insisted he believed Russian President Putin wants peace, despite also saying Putin may be “tapping him along a bit.” Trump also admitted his displeasure at Putin shooting missiles into Ukraine.
Yesterday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that the U.S. was prepared to “walk away” from the negotiating table if it did not see Russia making progress in talks aimed at ending the war.
Turkey enjoys diplomatic and economic relations with both Russia and Ukraine and is a strategic player in the Black Sea region. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been vocal in wanting to help push diplomatic efforts to bring a ceasefire and ultimate end to the war. As to China, it has made no secret of being a close ally of Russia, despite also vying for the role of mediator.
Back in April, after two Chinese citizens were captured by Ukrainian forces, Zelensky claimed many more were on the ground.
China has consistently denied sending weapons or combat troops to Russia’s aid. Beijing is nevertheless seen as Moscow’s strategic partner, despite it communicating intentions to play the role of a neutral mediator.
At the time, Zelensky wrote: “Russia’s involvement of China, along with other countries, whether directly or indirectly, in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin intends to do anything but end the war.”
In terms of any chance the U.S. will walk away from negotiations, Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that this would happen if they felt the Russians were not engaging in talks in good faith. During that same interview, Vance also noted that Russia, as expected, had asked for “too much” and, in answer to whether or not the U.S. would ramp up military aid, he replied, “We do not want Ukraine to collapse,” adding that the U.S. wants it “to remain a sovereign country.”
On Truth Social, Trump posted, “As president, I will stay committed to securing peace between Russia and Ukraine, together with the Europeans, and a lasting peace it will be!”
Polish Law and Justice (PiS) politicians are trying to bring U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Poland to save Karol Nawrocki’s campaign, claims Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza.
The daily newspaper writes that PiS politicians want to invite American and European supporters of Donald Trump to the G2 Arena in Rzeszów for the CPAC conservative congress.
The date is May 26-27, a few days before the planned second round of presidential elections (June 1). President Andrzej Duda and the head of the Institute of National Remembrance, the presidential candidate supported by PiS, Karol Nawrocki, are to speak at the event.
“Our sources in PiS tell us that the most important guest at the congress will be a senior politician from the Trump administration. Who? Our sources claim that the organizers want JD Vance, the American vice president, to be present. He shocked the European establishment in Munich in February, accusing them of allegedly violating civil liberties and persecuting conservatives,” reports “Wyborcza.”
According to the newspaper, “If Vance attacked Tusk’s government in Poland and supported PiS and its presidential candidate, Nawrocki’s campaign could regain momentum. Especially after the revelation of the compromising case of his second apartment. He bought it from a pensioner in exchange for care he did not provide.”
Behind the scenes of Nawrocki’s meeting with Trump
According to GW, the attempt to bring Vance to Poland is to multiply the effect of Nawrocki’s meeting with Trump, which took place last week in the Oval Office during the IPN chief’s visit to Washington. The photos of the U.S. president with the candidate for president of the Republic of Poland were published by the White House.
“The meeting was the result of the work of several people: PiS MEPs Adam Bielan and Dominik Tarczyński, who maintain contacts with MAGA people working in the White House, and Jerzy Kwaśniewski, the head of Ordo Iuris,” we read in the article.
“Nobody believes that Russia would live up to any ceasefire,” Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges (Ret.), told TVP World. Hodges further stated that Putin only put forth the idea of a three-day ceasefire because he doesn’t want drone or rocket strikes on Red Square during Russia’s Victory Day Parade on May 9 in Moscow.
“Nobody believes Russia would live up to any ceasefire,” said Ben Hodges (@general_ben), former commander of the U.S. Army, during an interview with TVP World discussing how Russia wants a ceasefire only to stop Ukrainian strikes on Red Square during the upcoming Victory Day… pic.twitter.com/boW3qXPEvM
In another interview with Telewizja wPolsce24, the former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe said that “Poland is a great country, a host for the American military. Today, about 10,000 of our soldiers are stationed here. Of course, I can’t guarantee that this number will not change, but today it is a significant number and our soldiers really like being here because of the great infrastructure.”
Hodges was referring to rumors that U.S. President Trump may move soldiers out of Poland.
“You have excellent training grounds,” the retired lieutenant general continued, adding that “the level of professionalism of your soldiers is also very high.”
Poland’s Chief of General Staff Gen. Wiesław Kukuła, in turn, emphasized that maintaining defense financing at 4 percent of GDP “will bring the effects we expect.”
As a guest at this year’s Defence24 conference, Hodges revealed what the main expectations are for the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague. Retired in 2018, he also served as the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), specializing in NATO, the Transatlantic relationship, and international security, and is presently NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics and is a Distinguished Fellow with GLOBSEC.
Most recently, Chess Grandmaster Gary Kasparov posted an article regarding Ukraine on his site by Hodges, in which the general states: “Europe has a crucial role to build a sustainable and just peace.” He then proceeds to outline the steps Europe must take to “not only (shape) the outcome of the war in Ukraine but also in contributing more broadly towards burden-sharing within the Alliance.”
At the end of his piece, Hodges was clear that “Europe must step up” in the face of “a Trump administration that seems disturbingly aligned with Moscow.” Saying that a Putin win would lead to “severe, lasting, and deeply destabilizing” costs, the general then asked: “Will Europe rise to meet them—or shrink in the shadow of its own hesitation?”
U.S. President Trump has called for an end to Hollywood producing movies overseas, and Hungary has a lot to lose.
“The movie industry in America is dying,” Trump told his audience on Truth Social, seeming to then indicate that “messaging and propaganda” were being used to kill it by foreign parties. “This is a concerted effort by other nations and, therefore, a national security threat,” he wrote, calling on movies to be “made in America again.”
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) May 5, 2025
Citing the incentives used overseas to attract studios away from the U.S., Trump says he will be instituting a 100 percent tariff on all movies made abroad.
Targeted by such a move must certainly be Hungary. Making movies in Hungary is big business, with studios and talent flocking here for the scenic period architecture, professionally equipped sets, full-scale production talent, and post-editing masters the country has to offer. Because of all of this, Budapest has long been known as a top spot to make movies.
Famous flicks made in “Hollywood on the Danube” include I Spy, World War Z, Dune, Munich, Evita, The Day of the Jackal, Alien: Romulus, The Martian, Red Sparrow, A Good Day to Die Hard, Rebel Moon, Love and Death, Blade Runner 2049… the list goes on.
Budapest’s biggest attraction has been no doubt the financial incentive offered by the Hungarian government, one of the highest tax breaks for film production in the world, and it has paid off.
Back in March 2024, Makronom wrote that in the decade up until 2022, the Hungarian film industry had increased tenfold, reaching HUF 400 billion ($1.12 billion). This was followed by a massive growth in revenues of 30 percent in 2023, with Government Commissioner for Film Csaba Káel announcing this past February that for 2024 alone, nearly $1 billion had been spent on productions.
However, this has been in large part due to foreign productions, primarily American. In September 2023, Budapest Business Journal highlighted that of the more than HUF 250 billion in production recorded in 2022, a whopping 90 percent of this came from the U.S. versus just HUF 85 billion in 2016.
Despite its growing importance as “the film capital of Central Europe,” the film industry makes up just a fraction of Hungarian GDP, a mere 0.6 percent as of the start of 2024 according to Makronom.
However, it contributes massively in other ways, namely via tourism, already mentioned, but also local businesses and jobs. As the second-largest European film production base after London, the country has created a thriving domestic structure for all things “Hollywood,” relying less and less on imports and fueling revenues for domestic suppliers, i.e., domestic business.
As of the start of 2024, making movies in Hungary employed approximately 20,000 people, most of whom are freelancers. There is still a continuous labor shortage in the sector, and 12-14 hour workdays lasting for several weeks are not uncommon, noted Makronom.
The dependence on foreign productions is real. Csaba Káel told Origo in January 2024 that “large-budget international films generate 3.2 times more gross income in the Hungarian economy than tax breaks.” Because of this, Káel said, Budapest needs international projects with the largest possible budget.
There is, of course, more to the Hungarian film economy than profits. It is also a source of national pride. Hungary is no newbie in the movie business, with a long history both in Hungary and in terms of Hungarians who helped create present-day Hollywood.
Adolph Zukor and William Fox founded two of Hollywood’s first studios, Paramount Pictures and Fox Film Corporation, respectively. Fox also started the chain of Fox West Coast Theatres.
One of Hungary’s extensive studio lots, Korda Filmpark, is named after Sir Alexander Korda, a Hungarian-born filmmaker and founder of Hungary’s Corvin Film, Europe’s third-largest studio in the early 20th-century era of silent films. Home to the largest film studio in Europe, with the most advanced technical equipment, numerous permanent sets, and nine studios, Korda Studios is known as the Hungarian Hollywood or Etyekwood (as it is located in Etyek, just outside of Budapest).
Many Hollywood celebrities have also been vocal about their own Hungarian heritage, such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Drew Barrymore, Adrian Brody, Goldie Hawn, Rachel Weisz, and Tony Curtis to name a few. Famed director Steven Spielberg has also claimed Hungarian ancestry, and of course, there is Hungarian-born producer Andy Vajna, of Total Recall, Rambo, and Terminator fame.
Karol Nawrocki, president of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) and PiS presidential candidate, met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House during his visit to the United States, which will include celebrating Poland’s Constitution Day on May 3 with the Polish community in Chicago.
Aside from his talk with Trump, Do Rzeczy reports Nawrocki, an independent who scored support from the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), exchanged words with various officials in the Rose Garden during the National Day of Prayer ceremony. He was seen speaking with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson, WH Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Secretary of Health Robert Kennedy.
“Great meeting with POTUS. It was an honour to discuss the bright future of Poland-U.S. relations,” Nawrocki posted on his own account.
Chicago’s May 3rd Day Parade, first started in 1892, celebrates the ratification of the Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791. This year’s slogan will be “1000th Anniversary of the Kingdom of Poland.” The largest Polish parade outside of Poland being in Chicago makes sense, as the city is home to the largest Polish population in a metropolitan region in the U.S. With more than 720,000 residents claiming Polish heritage, it is purportedly the most Polish city in the world outside of Poland.
Kyiv and Washington established a joint investment fund to exploit Ukraine’s raw materials and rebuild the country, under Ukrainian control.
Ukraine and the United States announced late Wednesday, after months of negotiations, that they had signed a joint agreement on raw materials and investment. Under the agreement, the two countries will establish the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, which is intended to support new projects aimed at extracting raw materials and economic reconstruction.
The .U.S. Treasury Department was the first to release a statement about the agreement, stating on X, “On April 30, the United States and Ukraine signed an agreement to establish the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund. This historic economic partnership clearly signals the Trump Administration’s commitment to a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine.”
Yulia Szviridenko, Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister and minister of economy, posted on X: “On behalf of the Government of Ukraine, I signed the Agreement on the Establishment of a United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund. Together with the United States, we are creating the Fund that will attract global investment into our country.”
On behalf of the Government of Ukraine, I signed the Agreement on the Establishment of a United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund.
Together with the United States, we are creating the Fund that will attract global investment into our country. pic.twitter.com/8ryyAMqW83
According to Sviridenko, writes Mandiner, during the operation of the fund, the ownership of raw materials and the right to extract them will remain in the hands of Ukraine, decision-making will be equally divided between the parties, and the ownership structure of the fund will be 50-50 percent.
Ukrainian state-owned energy companies, such as Ukrnafta and Energoatom, will not be privatized. In addition, the agreement does not impose any debt obligations on Ukraine and is fully consistent with the country’s constitution and international obligations.
The fund will be financed exclusively from revenues from new production licenses, meaning that resources from projects already underway and planned in the state budget will remain outside the scheme. 50 percent of the income from new oil and gas licenses will go to the fund. The American side is represented by the International Development Finance Corporation (IDFC), which not only provides financial contributions, but also provides technology and investment to Ukrainian projects.
In addition, Szviridenko said that funds are also expected from “other international partners who support Ukraine’s fight against the Russian aggressor.”
The agreement provides tax guarantees as well. Income and contributions related to the fund will be tax-free in both Ukraine and the United States.
The fund will be able to invest exclusively in Ukraine, and during the first 10 years, no dividends are expected to be paid, but profits will be fully reinvested in new Ukrainian projects. However, according to Sviridenko, “these conditions are subject to further discussions.”
“We have crafted an agreement that provides mutually beneficial terms for both countries. The United States reaffirms its commitment to long-term peace in Ukraine and recognizes Ukraine’s contributions to global security – including its renunciation of nuclear weapons. This agreement reaffirms the United States’ commitment to the security, recovery, and reconstruction of Ukraine,” the Ukrainian minister emphasized.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also posted a video message on X: “Thanks to President Trump’s tireless efforts to secure a lasting peace, I am glad to announce the signing of today’s historic economic partnership agreement between the United States and Ukraine establishing the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund to help accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery. Economic security is national security.
“The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation will work closely with the Government of Ukraine to establish this fund, and we look forward to quickly operationalizing this historic economic partnership for both the Ukrainian and American people,” Bessent continued.
“This agreement sends a clear signal to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine in the long term,” he added.
The minister emphasized: “And to be clear, no state or person can benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine that has financed or supplied the Russian war machine .” However, neither Donald Trump nor Volodymyr Zelensky have commented on the agreement on their social media platforms so far.
U.S. President Donald Trump has once again suggested that Vladimir Putin wants to end the war with Ukraine, despite ongoing attacks by Russia.
In an interview with ABC News‘ Terry Moran, Trump was asked if Putin really wants to end the war, to which Trump responded, “I think he does.”
“(Putin’s) dream was to take over the whole country. Thanks to me, he won’t do that,” Trump added. At the same time, the American president did not say he directly trusts Putin but that he believes Putin “respects” him.
“I don’t trust you, I don’t trust many people, but I think that, let’s say, he respects me and I think that because of me he won’t take all of Ukraine, but his first decision, choice, would be to take all of Ukraine,” Trump said.
The American president also expressed his displeasure over a recent Russian missile attack on Kyiv
“I will tell you, I was not happy when I saw Putin shooting missiles into a few towns and cities,” said Trump.
Trump said that while Putin may be “tapping him along a bit,” his overall desire is to end the war.
Others believe that Putin has no intention of ending the war. Former NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemueller said in late March that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “playing with Trump” and has no intention of signing any peace agreements.
The U.S. has begun to threaten to withdraw from the negotiation process. Vice President JD Vance said that Washington will not tolerate an endless conflict and expects Ukraine and Russia to be ready for a compromise.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for a serious and substantive agreement between the United States and the European Union, saying the transatlantic relationship must be strengthened not only militarily but also politically and economically to meet modern-day challenges.
“What is needed right now is a real agreement between Europe and the U.S.,” Meloni told Corriere Della Sera in a wide-ranging interview with the Italian publication. “I think we need to bring the U.S. and the EU closer together, also because in the meantime other powers are stepping forward to prevail in the world balance, and I don’t think it is in Europe’s or the USA’s interest for this to happen.”
Meloni, who recently met with Donald Trump in Washington and has spoken with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, framed Italy’s role as a bridge between the two sides of the Atlantic. “It is in Italy’s vocation to work to bring the two sides of the Atlantic as close as possible to strengthen the West, understood as a civilization and not as a simple geographical space or set of interests,” she said. “There are different points of view, but I believe that by addressing them concretely, we can take important steps forward.”
She dismissed the idea that recent diplomatic events — such as the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome, which gathered numerous world leaders — should have been used for political meetings. “I have never considered the Pope’s funeral an opportunity to bring together this or that leader,” she said. “It was a moment of profound significance for the Christian and Catholic community and the whole world. I didn’t want it to become the backdrop for political negotiations.”
While discussions about a potential summit between U.S. and EU leaders are ongoing, Meloni insisted such a meeting must have clear goals and be based on technical groundwork. “We are working on it, but it does not depend only on us. For meetings to lead to results, they must be prepared carefully and must not be formal, but substantial,” she said. “I am interested in bringing home a real agreement that serves Italy, Europe, and the USA. Without haste, but well done.”
Asked whether Italy might host such a summit, Meloni said the location is secondary to the outcome. “If Rome can be the right venue because our country is seen as a friend and not a ‘counterpart,’ I think it will be a great recognition. But even if it were elsewhere… I think I can say that I will have had some merit anyway.”
On her relationship with Trump, Meloni said the two leaders enjoy a productive rapport. “We are two leaders who respect and understand each other, even when we do not completely agree,” she said. She pushed back against criticism from Italy’s center-left opposition, who have questioned her closeness to the U.S. president. “When the leader of the Democratic Party says that ‘Trump cannot be our ally,’ what exactly does she mean? That we break the 70-year alliance and leave NATO? I don’t think our alliances change based on election results.”
The Italian premier argued that her government’s alignment with the Trump administration is not ideological but pragmatic. “We are not pro-American; we are part of the West. Our entrepreneurs invest in the U.S. because it makes sense. And we must also encourage American investment here. For example, in the joint declaration we signed with President Trump, we highlighted the special economic zone in southern Italy, which offers real opportunities.”
Turning to the war in Ukraine, Meloni reaffirmed Italy’s support for Kyiv and expressed cautious optimism about recent diplomatic developments. “We support Trump’s efforts and are pleased that Zelensky has said he is open to an unconditional ceasefire, showing that Ukraine also wants peace,” she said. “But the three-day truce announced by Putin is decidedly insufficient. Peace must be just and lasting. And that means solid security guarantees.”
Reflecting on her recent time in the global spotlight, Meloni acknowledged the praise Italy has received for its diplomatic efforts but remained modest. “If I have to give myself a grade, it’s six. I am never satisfied, especially with myself. The higher you go, the easier it is to go down. I’ve always had that in mind.”
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko indicated in a recent interview with the BBC that Ukraine might be compelled to temporarily retreat from certain territories occupied by Russia to secure a ceasefire, marking the first public acknowledgment by a prominent Ukrainian leader of possible territorial concessions.
His comments come amid mounting international pressure, particularly from the United States, to reach a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv.
Klitschko stated, “A number of discussions are currently underway about possible solutions. One of the scenarios is the surrender of part of the territory. It’s not fair. But for peace — temporary peace — it could perhaps be the way.” He emphasized, however, that Ukrainians would never accept Russian occupation as a permanent reality.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is proposing a peace plan that effectively recognizes Russian control over Crimea, annexed in 2014, and occupied areas in the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance recently reiterated the U.S. stance, declaring that Ukraine must agree to territorial compromises or risk losing American mediation efforts altogether. Vance further suggested freezing the conflict along the current front line.
President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized earlier this week that Ukraine has not received any formal proposals from its allies regarding territorial concessions and reiterated Kyiv’s stance against recognizing any Russian occupation.
Meanwhile, Klitschko, known for his strained relationship with Zelensky, revealed he had never directly discussed concrete peace proposals with the president.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed cautious optimism about ongoing negotiations, noting that President Trump’s approach could help address the core issues of the conflict. Lavrov added, however, that specific points of any agreement still required refinement.
On Thursday, President Trump reacted sharply to new Russian attacks on Kyiv, which killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens more, publicly calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin via Truth Social to immediately halt hostilities.
“I’m not happy with Russia’s attacks on Kyiv. They are not necessary and have very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers die every week. Let’s FINALIZE the peace agreement!” Trump wrote.
Kyiv, European capital in 2025.
Moments of the russian attacks on Kyiv tonight. Interior Minister Klymenko said that Ukraine lacks the necessary air defense capabilities to repel attacks.
Despite diplomatic discussions, violent attacks continue. Overnight, Russian drone strikes killed two people and injured eight others in Pavlohrad in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, according to regional military administration head Serhiy Lysak. Fires broke out in residential buildings, causing significant damage.
BREAKING:
Russia has struck a residential building in Pavlohrad, Ukraine.
Additional drone and rocket attacks also targeted the cities of Marhanets, Nikopol, and Kharkiv.
In turn, Ukraine reportedly targeted a top general in Moscow, Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, with a car bomb, although Kyiv has not claimed responsibility.
🇷🇺🚨 Russian general allegedly blown up in car bomb in the Moscow region.
Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, has died.
While emphasizing that both Moscow and Kyiv will need to compromise, Polish President Andrzej Duda said only leadership from the U.S. will bring peace to Ukraine.
“Today, my conclusions are absolutely clear. There is no one except the United States who can stop Vladimir Putin,” said Duda in an interview with Euronews, reported on by wPolityce.
The Polish head of state said that only Trump’s “determination” and “American pressure” will find a way to bring a deal for lasting peace, which “will not be comfortable for either side.”
Pointing out the high cost of the war for both Ukraine and Russia, Duda said, “It has to be a compromise (…) neither side will be able to say that they won this war.”
He did not know to what extent Zelensky would have to give in to Putin’s demands, nor how willing he is to give in at all, but he reiterated that both countries are being worn thin.
“The war is exhausting Russia and Putin is playing a risky game, and the war is destroying Ukraine in a terrible way,” he said.
On Trump’s overall foreign policy and negotiating style, Duda commented: “I expected Donald Trump to act this way, to pursue a very tough policy of evening out what he sees as imbalances in trade relations and protecting America’s interests.”
Trump has made headlines for coming down hard on Zelensky for being difficult to negotiate with and refusing to make any concessions. Many have claimed his tough stance against Ukraine has made him look like he is bending too easily to Putin.
However, in the wake of the recent bombing campaign on Kyiv carried out by Russia, Trump posted on his social media platform, telling Putin to “STOP!”
Berlin Senator Cansel Kiziltepe, of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), decided to attack Elon Musk on X, comparing his Tesla cars to “Nazi cars,” creating a massive backlash in the neighboring state of Brandenburg, home to Europe’s only Tesla car factory. The post is particularly odd, given her role as state minister for labor.
In what appears to be a now-deleted post, the SPD politician had written on X: “Who wants to drive a Nazi car? Manufacturers of electric cars are experiencing a sales boom – apart from Tesla,” according to Welt.
Brandenburg’s Minister of Economic Affairs Daniel Keller (also SPD) called on her to retract the statement.
“Such a Nazi comparison hurts the people who work there and is completely inappropriate for a labor senator,” Keller told the dpa news agency. “I expect the labor senator to retract her historically unacceptable comparison and return objectively to the major economic and labor market policy challenges that Berlin and Brandenburg should tackle together.”
Keller continued, saying, “Everyone can have their own personal opinion about Elon Musk. But it’s important to me that we don’t forget the people behind the Tesla factory in Grünheide. 11,000 people from 150 nations work here – more than half of the employees live in Berlin.”
Senator Kiziltepe still has a more diplomatic statement posted regarding the electric car company:
“Tesla is currently experiencing a sales slump because customers attribute the right-wing extremist positions of its shareholder Elon Musk, who holds around 13% of the company,” she wrote.
Tesla erlebt gerade eine Absatzflaute, weil dem Unternehmen von den Kunden die rechtsextremen Positionen seines Anteilseigners Elon Musk zugeschrieben werden, der rund 13% am Unternehmen hält.
“I explicitly stand by my assessment of Elon Musk. Of course, this does not mean that I hold Musk’s employees or customers responsible for his political positions,” she added.
But not everyone felt this was enough, especially given her comment was seen by most as potentially endangering jobs.
“Denigrating the Tesla as a Nazi car shows what you’re really like. Full of hate and division. Simply disgraceful. Better to eliminate all jobs in Germany. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? After all, we’re paying you,” reads one reply.
“Are you still a senator, or have you already resigned to avert further damage to your office and democracy after your unspeakable trivialization of the Nazis? If not, you should do so immediately” another commenter posted.
“Yeah, everyone knows by now that you hate Elon Musk. What are the reasons for your hatred? As a civil servant, don’t you have better things to do than vent your hatred online? another X user asked.
Tesla has become the largest employer in Brandenburg in Grünheide, with some 11,500 people working there. The jobs at its Gigafactory, which opened just three years ago, are permanent with good salaries. The automaker’s net profits took a hit last quarter; the drop in sales is attributed to both a model change as well as controversies surrounding Musk’s politics.
“Brandenburg and Berlin benefit from this in terms of employment and value creation,” AfD deputy leader Stephan Brandner told the “Rheinische Post” newspaper.
The Berlin-Brandenburg Business Association (UVB) also called out the comparison for insulting Tesla employees and scaring away new investment, not to mention hurting Kiziltepe’s own re-election. Managing Director Alexander Schirp stated that such defamation was unworthy of a member of the Berlin Senate.
“This doesn’t increase the manufacturer’s chances of investing in the capital. Statements of this magnitude do not bode well for the election campaign,” the UVB MD said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for recent remarks on Crimea, accusing him of endangering ongoing peace efforts and prolonging the war with Russia.
In a post published on Wednesday on his Truth Social account, Trump called Zelensky’s refusal to recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea “inflammatory” and urged immediate action to secure a peace agreement.
The controversy stems from a Wall Street Journal interview in which Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine “will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea.”
“There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution,” the Ukrainian president added.
Trump responded forcefully, stating that the matter “is not even a point of discussion,” claiming that Crimea was “lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama.”
“Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian territory,” Trump wrote. “But if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it 11 years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?”
President Trump accused Zelensky of making statements that could “do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’” and warned that Ukraine could “lose the whole country” within three years if it continues down the current path. He also emphasized the heavy toll of the war, stating that thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers are dying each week “for no reason whatsoever.”
“The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or he can fight for another three years,” Trump added, insisting that a peace deal is within reach and imploring Zelensky to stop resisting. “We are very close to a Deal, but the man with ‘no cards to play’ should now, finally, GET IT DONE,” Trump wrote.
The statement has already ignited fierce debate in both Washington and Kyiv. Critics say Trump’s remarks risk legitimizing Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territory and undermining U.S. support for Ukraine. Supporters, however, view it as a realistic push toward ending a long and bloody war.
While the White House has yet to elaborate on Trump’s comments, they mark a significant shift in tone from the Biden administration’s previous firm backing of Ukraine’s territorial claims, including Crimea.
Zelensky’s perceived intransigence reportedly resulted in the last-minute cancellation of peace talks in London with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Kyiv is digging its heels in against a framework presented to its officials last week in Paris, with Ukraine believing the prospective deal rewards Russia for its aggression, leading to exasperation from the Trump administration.
On Wednesday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters during a trip to India that the U.S. is prepared to abandon peace talks should Ukraine not budge.
“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say yes or for the U.S. to walk away from this process. We’ve engaged in an extraordinary amount of diplomacy, of on-the-ground work,” he said.
“The Ukrainians and the Russians are both going to have to give up some of the territory they currently own. There’s gonna have to be some territorial swaps,” he added.
The Regional Court in Brno has confirmed that four members of the Czech Republic’s elite 601st Special Forces Group have been formally indicted in connection with the death of an Afghan detainee following an interrogation in 2018.
The case, which has drawn significant public and media attention, is being handled under a special judicial regime due to its sensitive nature.
“I can confirm that the Regional Court in Brno has accepted the indictment in this matter,” court spokesperson Klára Belkovová told iRozhlas.cz on Tuesday. “Last week, it was filed by the Regional State Prosecutor’s Office in Brno. Given the classified regime of this matter, I cannot provide any further information at this time.”
The charges pertain to an incident back in the fall of 2018 at an Afghan military base in Sindand, Herat Province. During a deployment, Afghan soldier Khan opened fire on Czech personnel, fatally shooting dog handler Tomáš Procházka and injuring two others. Khan was subsequently apprehended and held by Western forces, where he was reportedly interrogated by both Czech and U.S. soldiers and allegedly severely mistreated during custody.
Six U.S. military personnel have already been sentenced for assaulting the man during the interrogation, all receiving a reprimand which deprived them of the right to promotion and will see their military benefits revoked upon leaving the armed forces.
The man was eventually handed back to Afghan authorities. He died shortly afterward in hospital.
It was previously reported that the interrogation of Khan, lasting approximately 20 minutes, involved audible “screams of pain,” according to an Afghan interpreter working with U.S. forces.
The Czech soldiers allegedly filmed and photographed the interrogation, later deleting the material. Investigators were able to retrieve the files, which have since become key pieces of evidence.
Charges against the four soldiers include extortion, disobeying military orders, breach of guard duty, and failure to render assistance — offenses that, under Czech criminal law, carry severe penalties, including potential life imprisonment if committed under combat conditions with aggravating factors.
The identities of the accused soldiers have not been publicly disclosed.
Israeli police and military prevented Christians from participating in religious ceremonies on Easter Sunday. Faithful, including the papal nuncio, were blocked from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in East Jerusalem, reports Do Rzeczy.
Israeli police set up checkpoints on roads leading to the church in the Old City, with many worshipers refused entry, including Papal Nuncio Adolfo Tito Yllana. Since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, obtaining the necessary permit to travel to Jerusalem has become almost impossible.
While it was reported that the papal nuncio was eventually allowed through, the account Catholic Arena had posted that he had been prevented from doing so, with images of him clearly blockaded with others and Israeli soldiers standing guard.
"Israel has REFUSED to allow the Papal Nuncio Adolfo Tito Yllana to attend Easter ceremonies at the Holy Sepulchre tonight": 1.6M views
"UPDATE: The Nuncio WAS allowed to attend Mass": 14K views
Others called the Palestinians out for lying, saying this was simply a checkpoint, but the papal nuncio is clearly waiting, with no one seemingly checking anyone and with no intention shown that anyone would be getting through, which was reportedly the case for most.
Disturbing footage was also circulated online of Israeli soldiers getting violent with worshippers, with one soldier point-blank pointing a gun at a Christian’s head.
Israeli forces threatened Christians trying to celebrate Easter as they corralled worshippers at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied East Jerusalem. Israel also imposed severe restrictions on Palestinian Christians hoping to attend services. pic.twitter.com/aoNFlHA76i
Another post shows a priest being forcibly pushed back.
Israeli soldiers assaulting the Christian priests, pilgrims, worshippers, and local Christians in the holy sepulcher church, today in occupied Jerusalem during the “Holy Saturday” Christian holiday. pic.twitter.com/0u5C7jfl6N
Do Rzeczy reminds readers that what happened on Sunday is nothing new. In 2023, Palestinian Christian worshippers and foreign pilgrims were beaten by Israeli officers as they tried to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulcher for the holiday as well. Israel contends that their restrictions and actions are justified on security grounds, while many Christians see them as just another way for the state of Israel to impose its dominance.
“One of the uniformed officers stepped on the Stone of Anointing in the temple, on which the body of Jesus was supposed to be prepared for burial. When one of the faithful pointed this out, another policeman forcibly removed him from the Basilica,” reports the Kresy.pl portal.
“This Easter, the Israeli government announced that it had issued 6,000 permits, even though 50,000 Christians are living in the West Bank outside East Jerusalem – mostly Catholics or Orthodox. However, Israeli opposition media reports that in reality only 4,000 were issued, and often only to a few members of each family that applied,” reports Kresy.pl.
The permits are valid for only a week and do not allow Palestinian pilgrims to stay overnight in Jerusalem, meaning they must make the grueling return journey to the West Bank by bus or taxi, passing through multiple Israeli army checkpoints that limit participation in the festivities.
On Good Friday, just before Easter Sunday, PM Netanyahu continued Israel’s bombing campaign, with nearly 60 killed, according to Al Jazeera. A reporter on the ground told the paper that Christians were “holding onto their faith” and celebrating Easter “at one of the oldest churches in the world.”
“In Gaza, Good Friday is the power of faith and the quiet strength of those who still believe in peace even when the world around them is nothing but a stage filled with violence and death,” the reporter told the paper.
“This Easter, I’m particularly mindful of the often-overlooked struggles faced by approximately 185,000 Palestinian Christians living in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Around 140,000 hold Israeli citizenship, 45,000 reside in the West Bank, and about 500 remain in Gaza,” wrote Ed Gaskin for the Times of Israel.
“Palestinian Christians are largely committed to nonviolence, but they suffer the same as other Palestinians who don’t share their nonviolent belief,” he added.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted a “Happy Easter” message with a photo of Israeli soldiers in what appears to be a combat operation, guns ready. And the lavender flower-like drawings around the text are eerily similar to the gray clouds of exploded bombs.
A young American woman in Germany has been convicted of manslaughter following the fatal stabbing of a 64-year-old Eritrean migrant who sexually harassed her at Kaiserslautern Central Station.
The incident, which took place in June of last year, concluded with a sentence handed down by the Kaiserslautern Regional Court on Wednesday after the court dismissed her claims of proportionate self-defense.
The defendant, identified as Fallyn B., received a two-year youth sentence, suspended on probation. She must complete 500 hours of community service and attend counseling sessions focusing on drug abuse prevention. Her lawyer confirmed that no appeal would be filed.
Surveillance footage and witness testimony revealed that Alem T., the victim, sexually assaulted the defendant by grabbing her buttocks on an escalator. Following an initial defensive struggle in the station underpass, the confrontation escalated.
Amid the subsequent struggle, the young woman, then aged 20, took out a pocket knife and stabbed the Eritrean national once in the chest, striking his heart. The man immediately collapsed and died at the scene.
The defendant fled the scene by train, later texting an acquaintance: “I think I just killed someone.” She subsequently turned herself in to police and was briefly held in custody.
“She was terrified. My client only intended to make him let her go,” the defendant’s counsel told the court during the trial.
The court determined that the young woman’s actions exceeded legitimate self-defense, explicitly noting that while she initially defended herself, she subsequently “became an attacker” by actively engaging the victim. This deliberate shift led to her conviction for manslaughter under juvenile criminal law, given her age at the time of the incident.
Information also surfaced about the victim’s history of similar sexual harassment incidents. Despite acknowledging the problematic nature of his past behavior, the court emphasized that the defendant’s reaction was disproportionate.
Initially charged by prosecutors with bodily injury resulting in death, the court aligned more closely with the position of the joint plaintiffs, who argued for manslaughter. The prosecution had sought a lesser suspended sentence of one year and nine months.
“The initial groping was a criminal act,” said a spokesperson for the prosecution, “but the fatal outcome cannot be justified. This was not a proportional response.”
The court agreed, noting in its judgment, “If you are no longer in a self-defense situation, you become an attacker yourself.”
Throughout the proceedings, Fallyn B. discussed her personal struggles with mental health issues, including ADHD, bullying, and substance abuse. At the time of the incident, she resided near the Ramstein U.S. Air Base and had no prior criminal record.
The verdict is currently subject to appeal, though the defense has indicated no intention to contest it.
The U.S. Treasury Department has removed Antal Rogán, Hungary’s Minister of State for the Prime Minister’s Office, from the sanctions list.
Viktor Orbán’s government in Budapest had called the move to put Rogán on the list in the first place mere revenge by the outgoing Democrat administration due to Orbán’s support for Trump. It also pointed specifically at former U.S. Ambassador David Pressman, who was highly critical of the government during his tenure in Budapest.
The case against Rogán had been flimsy, claims Magyar Nemzet, writing that the dossier on which the decision was made about him contained only an article by Politico and an analysis of the same article by Transparency International, partially funded by George Soros’ Open Society Foundations.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó posted the news on X, calling Pressman a “frustrated ambassador.” He also sent a statement to MTI saying that this clearly proves that different winds are blowing in Washington.
After the Biden admin’s crushing election loss, but before @realDonaldTrump returned to office, Democrats took revenge on Hungary by sanctioning Minister Antal Rogán, pushed by a frustrated ambassador in Budapest. That era is over: @USTreasury just removed him from the list.
Many opposing the Orbán regime have come out with statements. Human Rights First has said, “The U.S. government is turning its back on those in civil society who for years have taken great risks to document appalling levels of corruption in Orbán’s Hungary. Today’s action sets a damaging precedent that will entice every other sanctioned oligarch, kleptocrat, money launderer, and criminal to line up for their turn at relief next.”
In the wake of unwanted tariffs, this is some good news, especially as last week, a spotlight was shone on the lingering charge of corruption against the Hungarian government. The U.S. Trade Representative published its annual report at the end of March, listing barriers to American trade with certain countries.
FM Szijjártó had come out publicly saying the mention of Hungarian corruption was the result of the former ambassador, David Pressman. However, in response to a request by the Telex news portal, Anna Kelly, deputy White House spokeswoman, said: “We have nothing to add to the administration’s list of tariff and non-tariff barriers, which were prepared by our country’s finest economists to ensure that our trade policy serves America’s interests.”
There is no word yet on whether this report will also be updated.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is preparing to embark on a high-stakes diplomatic mission to Washington this week as Italy positions itself at the center of renewed transatlantic trade negotiations.
In a packed agenda, Meloni is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday before returning home for talks with U.S. Deputy J.D. Vance at Palazzo Chigi on Friday.
The visit, initially planned to restore dialogue amid rising tensions, has gained new momentum following the temporary suspension for 90 days of increased tariffs on imports between the United States and the European Union.
Meloni now reportedly sees an opportunity to mediate, aiming to lay the groundwork for a historic free trade agreement between Europe and the United States.
“Meloni’s trip is not just about pursuing an Italian agenda,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said during a visit to Japan. “It is about strengthening ties with the U.S. and pushing for the creation of a large Euro-American free trade market.”
As reported by Il Giornale, the Italian delegation will arrive in Washington with several proposals on how to revive the U.S.-EU relationship. Meloni plans to present a detailed account highlighting the benefits enjoyed by American tech giants within the EU’s tax framework while highlighting Europe’s concerns over U.S. tariff policies.
Rome will also emphasize its increasing commitment to NATO defense spending, pledging an additional €11 billion to meet alliance targets — a move expected to resonate with a Trump administration that has expressed its frustration at the lack of enthusiasm by EU member states to pay sufficiently for their own defense. An agreement to raise the required share of GDP spent on military spending was made back in 2014.
This investment is coupled with plans to purchase advanced American defense systems, while further discussions will focus on easing bureaucratic hurdles within the EU that burden both European and American businesses
Ahead of last month’s European Council, Meloni told Italian lawmakers that the European Union’s commitment to regulation and bureaucracy had been to the bloc’s detriment.
“If Europe thinks it can survive in this phase by continuing to claim to hyper-regulate everything instead of freeing up the many energies it has, it will simply not survive,” she warned.
Meloni is also expected to advocate for reforms to the European Union’s Green Deal, which Italy argues currently favors Chinese manufacturers and gives China a competitive imbalance in the green technology market.
The Italian premier has long been opposed to the ideological nature of Brussels’ green policy, criticizing its approach in December last year when she claimed the green transition has “paid too high a price to ideology” and called for a balanced approach that doesn’t undermine economic growth.”
Energy security will also be on the table this week, with Italy expected to agree to Trump’s demand that the European Union source more of its energy from the United States, provided more competitive pricing for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) can be negotiated.
Meloni will be the first European leader to meet with President Trump since the initial announcement of tariffs on what he called “Liberation Day,” claiming the United States had been taken for a ride with imbalanced trade policies for too long.
She is seen by many to be the best person to mediate, having built up a rapport with the Trump administration and aligning herself with many of its values.
Following the tariff announcement, the Italian premier urged Brussels not to retaliate, saying during a televised interview earlier this month, “I am not convinced that the best choice is to respond to duties with other duties.
“The impact could be greater on our economy than what happens outside our borders. We need to open a frank discussion with the Americans, with the goal, from my point of view, of removing duties, not multiplying them.”
Anton Bendarzhevskiy, director of the Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation, spoke with Hirado.hu about U.S. troop reductions in Europe, a common European Army, and possible troop deployments to Hungary.
There has been a lot of talk about U.S. President Trump redeploying troops from Europe to its own southern border or to counter possible threats from China. Concerns are that any NATO troop cuts would embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But, as Remix News recently reported, talk of any major reductions may be overblown, especially with U.S. Army General Christopher Cavoli’s recommendation to keep the U.S. force posture the same in the region.
Speaking at the House Armed Services Committee, the general called Russia “a chronic threat,” adding that “in the coming years it is going to be a growing threat, one that is willing to achieve geopolitical goals and is actively waging a campaign of destabilisation across Europe and beyond.”
“In the 1980s, more than 300,000 American soldiers were stationed in Western Europe. At that time, we were talking about more than 40 American military bases. In the 1990s, this number had already decreased by 100,000 to about 200,000-210,000,” Bendarzhevskiy told Hirado.
“By the end of the 1990s, the number of American soldiers in Europe was around 140,000-150,000, while by the 2020s, the number of American military contingents decreased to around 60,000-63,000,” he added.
The director of the Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation went on to explain how President Biden had actually increased U.S. troops by 20,000, mainly on NATO’s eastern flank. These soldiers were typically deployed to Poland and also Romania. By 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there were some 80,000 American soldiers.
As President Trump seeks to reach a ceasefire with Russia and appease Putin’s concerns over the presence of NATO troops, many have called out his planned reductions, saying they would weaken Europe’s defense capabilities while emboldening Russia. Some have even claimed the U.S. plans to withdraw or abolish NATO altogether.
Bendarzhevskiy, however, does not necessarily agree with these statements, saying Trump is looking to “balance costs and contributions.” He also said that despite Trump now bringing home half the troop increase made by Biden, the remaining troops will still be “a higher number than during Trump’s previous presidency.”
The security expert also noted that 10,000 soldiers were redeployed from Germany to Poland during Trump’s first presidency, and he now believes such redeployments could occur again to countries with which the president has better relations, such as Hungary.
Addressing past reports that indicated some 30,000 soldiers would arrive on Hungarian soil, he said this is “completely unrealistic,” as there are no logistics or infrastructure for this.
“It is possible to imagine an American military presence in Hungary, albeit with lower numbers,” he added.
As to joint European military action raised during the recent “coalition of the willing,” the expert says the European Commission is considering a five-year framework of some €800 billion. However, Bendarzhevsky states there is no structure in place for coordinated defense spending.
“The European defense industry was not coordinated in the first place, and it is difficult to reconcile with the idea of a unified military force the many different military systems in Europe. For example, about 17 different tank models all in a sense follow NATO standards, but we are still talking about different tools, different operating models. This is not coordinated at all,” he said.
The expert believes that in the short term, the creation of a common European army, or even a centralized body that would determine these expenditures, “is not feasible.”
According to a recent poll, the majority of Poles do not believe U.S. President Trump would help Poland in the event of an attack, and those who believe he would are surprisingly low.
“For years after the political transformation in Poland, it seemed that our relations with the United States were becoming increasingly close. We sent our contingents when the States needed it, we buy American equipment, and thousands of soldiers from overseas are still stationed on the Vistula. However, these years of strengthening ties are not visible when you ask Poles today whether the United States would help us in the event of war,” writes Business Insider Polska.
SW Research asked Poles, at the request of rp.pl, the following question: “Do you believe that the United States under Donald Trump’s rule would come to Poland’s military aid if our country were attacked? ”
Those answering “Yes” came in at 25.7 percent, “No” at 50.8 percent, and “I have no opinion” stood at 23.4 percent.
The study was conducted by the research agency SW Research among users of the SW Panel online panel on April 8-9, 2025. The analysis covered a group of 800 Internet users over 18 years of age.
Back in 2022, BI recalls, the Institute of Public Affairs Research asked Poles for the Stan Polityki website who would help Poland in the event of an attack by a foreign country. At that time, nearly 60 percent indicated NATO, and 50.19 percent said the USA (more than one answer could be given).
The 2022 survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) on a representative sample of 800 adult residents of Poland.
According to the indictment filed in federal court in Florida, Ryan Wesley Routh plotted to assassinate Donald Trump and even attempted to obtain a Stinger missile from Ukraine a month before his arrest. He communicated via the encrypted messaging app Signal with someone he believed could help him obtain Ukrainian weapons and rocket launchers.
Routh, known for his pro-Ukraine sentiments, said he was ready to die for Ukraine. Now, the Russians and at least one Hungarian analyst say he could have been helped by the Ukrainian president’s inner circle.
According to Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, the threads of the case lead all the way back to Volodymyr Zelensky and his circle, writes Magyar Nemzet.
“American idiots are buying weapons from (far-right nationalist) Bandera’s supporters to kill their president! Isn’t it time to punish the real perpetrators of the assassination, the Bankova (presidential office) coke snuffers?” he asked, referring to Zelensky.
A screen grab captured from a video shows police forces arresting Ryan Wesley Routh, who is the suspect in an apparent assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Florida, United States on September 16, 2024. The man has been formally charged with two firearm-related offenses, according to US media on Monday. Routh has been charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. (Photo by Martin County Sheriff’s Office / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Of course, Russia has a strong incentive to make such claims, as they could serve as a wedge between Ukraine and the Trump White House. However, there is no denying Routh had a deep connection to Ukraine, and may have even had connections to Ukrainian intelligence.
The Russians are not the only ones raising questions either, with a Hungarian security expert also alluding to the possibility Routh may have had support from Ukraine. Notably, Ukraine has a long history of conducting assassinations on enemies of the country.
“The Ukrainian secret services changed their profile after the war began, as we saw the assassinations they carried out from Moscow to the immediate vicinity of the front line,” József Horváth, security policy expert and director of the Sovereignty Protection Research Institute, told Magyar Nemzet.
“They eliminated Russian generals, from Dugin’s daughter to the general of special computer intelligence and one of the commanders-in-chief of the missile program, and even wanted to attack Putin himself, because the Kremlin had already been the victim of a drone attack,” he added.
Horváth pointed out that after 2022, a separate directorate was established within the Ukrainian secret services for so-called soft targets, which was specifically characterized by the activity of Kirillo Budanov’s military intelligence.
The expert also said that these services not only carry out these operations, but may also be involved in illegal arms smuggling. According to the paper, Ukraine, which has been at war for three years, is now the world’s largest illegal arms supplier. Its arms trade is flourishing, which is increasing tensions in conflict regions around the world.
“Organized crime and (Ukraine’s) secret services work sometimes hand in hand,” said Horváth.
“So, it is not simply a matter of Ukrainian organized crime, Ukrainian secret services and the Ukrainian state profiting from the huge profits of the illegal arms trade, but in some cases we may even go so far as to say that these actors wanted to assert their interests by eliminating Donald Trump from the American presidential election campaign, since he has been a pro-peace figure from the beginning,” he continued.
“This could be a process on the part of the Ukrainians, if you like, on the part of Zelensky, in which their interests can be felt, so it cannot be ruled out that if such a person comes forward to solve this, he will receive help with a Ukrainian rocket launcher,” Horváth concluded.
According to court documents, “Routh sought to purchase the devices online from an associate Routh believed to be a Ukrainian with access to military weapons. The two had discussed the July 2024 attempt to assassinate President Trump that occurred in Pennsylvania, with Routh writing ‘I wish’ via encrypted messaging app, before the two began discussing Routh’s purchase of a weapon in August,” the court filing read.
“To that end, Routh told his associate to ‘send me an rpg [rocket propelled grenade] or stinger and I will see what we can do… [Trump] is not good for Ukraine,’ which led the two to discuss Routh’s purchase options, with Routh asking about the price and whether his associate could ‘ship it to me????’ before then explaining his intent: ‘I need equipment so that Trump cannot get elected,’” the filing included.
The verdict
Notably, Routh did not end up obtaining a Stinger missile from Ukraine. While Ukraine may have had a vested interest in Trump not being elected, taking out a former president would be an incredible gambit for the country, making it unlikely. Even if such a plan was even considered, it may have only involved rogue elements of the Ukrainian services and not an organized plot by anyone with real authority.
The verdict? There is a lack of any hard evidence that Ukraine had anything to do with the attempt on Trump’s life, and ultimately, Routh never received any weaponry from Ukraine.
As for concerns that Routh was not acting alone regarding his attempt on Trump’s life, Routh may have had outside support here, but again, there is no evidence he had any help from Ukraine in this regard either. Experts have raised questions about how Routh got so close to the former president at the time, and even more importantly, how he knew where Trump would be at the time. Whether an insider tipped Routh off about Trump’s location has long been a matter of speculation. However, any organized effort to kill Trump, if it existed at all, was not necessarily a “plot” from Ukraine. In the end, it could have involved someone else entirely.
In other words, treat such allegations from Russia with a grain of salt.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has firmly dismissed concerns that the relocation of U.S. troops from the Jasionka base near Rzeszów signals a reduction in the American military presence in Poland.
Speaking to journalists during a press conference in Tallinn, Estonia, on Wednesday, Duda stressed, “Both President Trump, Secretary Hegseth, and General Kellogg in the talks I had with them clearly and explicitly said that there are no plans to reduce the presence of American armed forces in Poland.”
The Jasionka Airport, a critical hub for U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, has recently been at the center of speculation after the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command (USAREUR-AF) announced plans to redeploy personnel and equipment from the site to other locations within Poland. Some media outlets interpreted this move as a potential sign of weakening U.S. support for the region, sparking anxiety over Washington’s long-term commitment.
Polish officials have been quick to counter the notion. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz clarified that “American troops, which were dedicated to helping Ukraine and transporting aid to Ukraine, are staying in Poland.” He explained that these forces will be deployed to other bases across the country, and emphasized, “The decision was, of course, agreed upon and communicated with us. We have indicated bases where we can receive American soldiers.”
Duda reinforced this message, noting, “We have a whole range of places where Americans are present in Poland in various forms, and different types of American troops. And the relocation of these soldiers will take place where it is appropriate.”
He added that the move is based on U.S. military training considerations, saying, “It is a question that those soldiers who performed certain types of tasks, in short: work in Jasionka, should also improve their skills, have such opportunities to exercise, and this is also what this is for.”
When asked about the security of the Jasionka base following the troop relocation, Duda replied, “Please be calm. This base has been protected, it is protected, and I am convinced that as long as it is needed and will carry out its tasks, it will be protected.”
Addressing reports from NBC suggesting a possible withdrawal of up to 10,000 U.S. troops from Eastern Europe, the president expressed clear skepticism. “You will forgive me, but I have been listening to this media ‘blah blah blah’ for a very long time, and to be honest, I am tired of it,” he remarked.
“Please stay calm, wait for specific decisions, and do not listen to rumors, whispers, or media disinformation. Because various actors are active in this, including those who simply want to sow disinformation and anxiety,” he added.
A press release from U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command (USAREUR-AF) announced the planned relocation of U.S. military personnel and equipment from the Jasionka Airport near Rzeszów to other locations in Poland. Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki sees this as a death knell for Polish-American relations, although it appears no pertinent actions have been taken.
“This transition is part of a broader strategy to optimize U.S. military operations, improving the level of support to Allies and partners while also enhancing efficiencies,” the USAREUR-AF statement reads, adding that this was done after “months of assessment and planning” and was “coordinated closely with Polish hosts and NATO Allies.”
Former Prime Minister Morawiecki told journalists, according to wPolityce, that the impact on Poland’s security will depend on where the soldiers will be transferred, calling the hub in Jasionka the epicenter from which all transports to Ukraine are carried out and thus hoping troops remain nearby.
However, he also said this is “bad news for Poland” and that it is necessary to “sound the alarm” because somehow this proves the Trump administration is doubting their relations with Poland.
“I am disappointed with the lack of action on the part of the Polish government,” the former prime minister told reporters.
According to Morawiecki, the statements of current Prime Minister Donald Tusk that the relocation was planned were also attempts to “save face,” even though the USAREUR-AF release specifically said this had been planned for months and involved the Polish government.
Morawiecki appears to have hoped to increase the number of American troops in Poland, and seems to think that this was supposed to happen thanks to the good relations built by President Andrzej Duda and PiS politicians with Donald Trump.
“Unfortunately, Mr. (Rafał) Trzaskowski and Mr. Tusk do not have these relations. The consequences of this were revealed today,” he said.
A report out of the Guardian counters Morawiecki’s stance, citing U.S. Army General Christopher Cavoli, speaking at the House Armed Services Committee. The general called Russia “a chronic threat,” adding that “in the coming years it is going to be a growing threat, one that is willing to achieve geopolitical goals and is actively waging a campaign of destabilisation across Europe and beyond.”
In light of this, he reiterated that he has always recommended keeping the U.S. force posture the same in the region, adding that “the legal permissions we have with nations hosting us, give us the ability to project power quickly in our interest on behalf of our US unilateral interests.”
The assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, Katherine Thompson, did say at the same hearing that there is an ongoing “global force posture review,” although this would be normal for any military deployed around the world and facing various threats.
Hungary is standing firmly against the European Union’s potential move to impose retaliatory tariffs on American goods, warning that such a decision could lead to an HUF 18 billion (€44.2 million) price hike at home.
Speaking at an EU Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó urged Brussels to choose dialogue over escalation.
At a press conference following the talks, Szijjártó stressed the need for “strategic calm” amid growing trade tensions rather than hastily entering into a tariff war with Washington.
“We certainly do not support a trade war or tariff war with the United States,” he said. “We don’t want higher tariffs — we want lower ones. The European Commission should negotiate not on new tariffs, but on reducing the existing ones.”
The EU is currently weighing its response to recent U.S. tariff hikes, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirming that Europe is ready to negotiate a “zero-for-zero” tariff agreement on industrial goods. She maintained that the EU remains open to a “good deal” but is also prepared to defend itself if necessary. Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič clarified that such a deal could cover sectors like cars, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and machinery.
Europe is ready to negotiate with the US.
We have offered zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods.
Because we're always ready for a good deal.
But we’re also prepared to respond with countermeasures.
Despite this, Brussels has not ruled out retaliation, a prospect that Hungary sees as a dangerous move. Szijjártó warned that higher tariffs would directly hit Hungarian consumers, raising prices on everyday items such as contact lenses and cosmetics. “If the Commission’s list is adopted, this would mean an immediate HUF 18 billion increase in costs for Hungary,” he pointed out.
The minister welcomed the fact that Hungary is not alone in its opposition, noting that several EU member states share similar concerns.
Szijjártó criticized the European Commission’s handling of the situation, arguing that the current leadership failed to anticipate U.S. President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies. “Serious negotiations could have been held months ago,” he said, adding that Hungary had proposed lowering EU tariffs on U.S. cars from 10 percent to 2.5 percent, to match the American rate — a move he believes could have prevented the looming tariff hikes.
“Everything that has happened could have been avoided,” Szijjártó stated.
The Hungarian position is one shared by Rome, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expected to visit President Trump next week to discuss mutual tariff reductions between the U.S. and the European Union.
In a televised interview last week, the Italian premier told viewers, “I am not convinced that the best choice is to respond to duties with other duties. The impact could be greater on our economy than what happens outside our borders. We need to open a frank discussion with the Americans, with the goal, from my point of view, of removing duties, not multiplying them.”
U.S. President Donald Trump came to the defense of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Friday, denouncing legal actions against her as part of what he described as a broader effort by European leftists to silence political opposition through “lawfare.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump likened Le Pen’s legal troubles to his own, claiming that left-leaning politicians and lawyers are using the justice system to target their conservative opponents.
“The Witch Hunt against Marine Le Pen is another example of European Leftists using Lawfare to silence Free Speech, and censor their Political Opponent, this time going so far as to put that Opponent in prison,” Trump wrote.
Without claiming personal ties to Le Pen, Trump expressed admiration for her perseverance over the years, saying she “suffered losses, but kept on going.” He characterized the charges against her as trivial, referring to them as a “minor charge that she probably knew nothing about” and dismissing it as a “bookkeeping error.”
On Monday, a Parisian court sentenced the de facto leader of France’s right-wing National Rally to a five-year ban on running for political office and a four-year jail term, two of which were suspended, after she and other party colleagues were found guilty of misappropriation of EU funds.
Investigators accused Le Pen and others of managing the illegal use of European subsidies between 2004 and 2016, when she served as an MEP. They stated that instead of working in Strasbourg, assistants were often working for Le Pen’s party in a domestic capacity.
Trump drew parallels between Le Pen’s legal situation and his own experiences with investigations in the United States, accusing American lawyers and politicians of attempting to undermine him for nearly a decade.
“It is all so bad for France, and the Great French People, no matter what side they are on,” Trump concluded, ending his post with a rallying cry: “FREE MARINE LE PEN!”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for restraint and diplomacy in the growing trade standoff between the European Union and the United States, urging Brussels not to meet American tariffs with retaliatory measures but instead to pursue their removal through direct negotiations.
In a televised interview with TG1 on Thursday night, Meloni expressed skepticism toward the EU’s current trajectory, warning that matching tariffs with tariffs could end up harming Europe more than the U.S.
“I am not convinced that the best choice is to respond to duties with other duties,” the Italian premier told viewers. “The impact could be greater on our economy than what happens outside our borders. We need to open a frank discussion with the Americans, with the goal, from my point of view, of removing duties, not multiplying them.”
Her remarks come amid mounting tension between Washington and Brussels after U.S. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on European steel and aluminum on March 12, reigniting trade friction that had eased in recent years. On Wednesday, the U.S. president followed these measures with a 20 percent flat tariff on imports from the European Union and a 25 percent tariff on imported cars — a move expected to significantly affect key European economies like Italy and Germany, both of which have sizeable automotive manufacturing industries.
According to EU sources, the bloc is now finalizing its response, with the first round of countermeasures expected to be approved in a vote on April 9 and implemented as early as April 15. A second wave of tariffs is likely to follow on May 15.
EU officials say the planned retaliation reflects input from national governments and is in line with trade defense protocols. However, Meloni signaled that Italy may advocate for an alternative path.
Asked whether Italy’s position aligns with that of the European Commission, Meloni replied that Rome would put Italian interests first. “Italy’s role is to bring Italian interests to Europe, especially now. While we negotiate with the Americans, there’s also much we can do internally — including removing tariffs we’ve imposed on ourselves.”
She criticized what she called “ideological rules” within the EU’s Green Deal — pointing specifically to the automotive sector — which effectively act as non-tariff barriers to trade and hinder Europe’s competitiveness.
“The auto industry is already suffering from tariffs,” she said. “Then there’s energy — a major factor in our competitiveness — where we must show more courage. And let’s not forget simplification: we’re drowning in bureaucracy. Lastly, the Stability Pact. Perhaps it’s time to consider a revision.”
Meloni’s stance appears to diverge from the EU consensus as Brussels, backed by Paris and Berlin, gears up for a firm response to the Trump administration’s protectionist policies. The White House, for its part, has doubled down. “President Trump will not back down,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick told CNN on Thursday, describing Trump as “very determined” in his push to reshape trade dynamics with Europe and provide economic stimulus to U.S. industry.
“The operation is over! The patient survived and is recovering,” the U.S. president wrote in a Truth Social post after announcing the new measures on what he called “Liberation Day.”
“The prognosis is that the patient will be much stronger, bigger, better, and more resilient than before. Make America Great Again!” he added.
The European Central Bank, meanwhile, has voiced concern over the growing economic uncertainty. In minutes from its March meeting, the ECB noted that “the outlook for exports and the direct and indirect impact of tariffs is a major cause for concern.”
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has sharply criticized the sweeping new tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, describing them as “unfortunate and incorrect.”
While Fiala does not foresee an immediate, direct impact on the Czech Republic, he warned that the broader economic consequences could be significant due to the country’s reliance on export chains through Germany and other EU partners.
Taking to social media, Fiala emphasized the Czech government’s commitment to free trade and opposition to protectionism. “We did not provoke this trade war,” he wrote. “The actions of the American side harm every citizen of the Czech Republic, and we cannot pass it over in silence.”
Fiala stressed that the European Union must respond decisively, though he remained hopeful for dialogue. “Europe is ready to negotiate with the U.S., but at the same time, it is ready to respond clearly,” he stated, reiterating his belief that “the best tariffs are zero tariffs.”
The U.S. measures, which include a 20 percent tariff on goods from the EU and a 25 percent rate on car imports, have rattled governments and industries across Europe. Trump, who announced the measures on Wednesday from the Oval Office, framed the tariffs as a bid to boost American manufacturing and restore “reciprocity” in global trade.
While the full structure of the tariffs remains unclear, Czech businesses are already feeling the pressure. According to the secretary of the Czech Furniture Manufacturers Association, Tomáš Lukeš, Czech furniture exports to the U.S. rose by 40 percent in 2024 to CZK 1.8 billion (€72 million), making the U.S. the country’s sixth-largest furniture market. With many Czech products funneled through other EU nations, indirect exposure to U.S. tariffs could be extensive.
Vice President of the Czech Chamber of Commerce, Tomáš Prouza, warned that the tariffs could “reduce the profitability of industry and limit room for investment and wage growth” in the Czech economy.
Karel Havlíček, a leading opposition figure from the opposition ANO movement — widely considered to win the election later this year — acknowledged the economic risks but advised against retaliatory measures. “The direct impact on Czech households will be minimal,” he claimed, calling for a calm, measured response.
In Brussels, European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič announced that he would engage in talks with U.S. officials on Friday, stating that the EU is “ready to negotiate but will not stand idly by.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed this sentiment, calling the tariffs “a major blow to the world economy.”
France and Germany also called for a united European response, with French government spokesperson Sophie Primas suggesting countermeasures could extend to digital services. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck emphasized that prosperity comes through tariff reduction, not escalation.
One of the hardest-hit industries is expected to be car manufacturing. Volkswagen has already announced it will reflect the new tariffs in car prices and temporarily halted certain shipments to the U.S. from Mexico and Europe.
Slovakia’s Volkswagen and Jaguar Land Rover plants, heavily reliant on U.S. exports, are expected to suffer substantial losses. Still, the head of Volkswagen’s Slovak division said production shifts to the U.S. are not currently planned.
As if the war in Ukraine were not enough in terms of tension between the United States and Russia, fears over the U.S. bombing Iran are now prompting Russia to step in and defend its ally.
“They are really threatening, they are also giving ultimatums. We consider such methods inappropriate, we condemn them, we consider them a way in which the U.S. imposes its will on the Iranian side,” said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. He further warned of “catastrophic” consequences if Trump moves forward with bombing Iran.
“The consequences of this, especially if there is an attack on nuclear infrastructure, could be catastrophic for the entire region,” he explained.
Currently, the U.S. is heavily bombing Yemen, hitting over 220 targets, with the Trump administration stating that military action is degrading the Houthis and Iran.
Trump currently demands that Iran abandon its nuclear program and is threatening to carry out airstrikes if that does not happen. Tehran officially denies that it is building such weapons. Last year, the CIA director at the time, William Burns, said there was no evidence Iran has decided to rush towards building a nuclear bomb.
Ryabkov slammed Trump, saying the Republican’s recent statements “complicated the situation.”
Not only is Tehran allied with Russia, but also with China, with the three countries recently conducting naval drills together. Iran has also supplied Russia with Shahed drones on a large scale during the war in Ukraine.
Trump is seeking a new nuclear deal with Iran; however, Trump himself pulled out of the first one in 2018. At that time, Trump reimplemented sanctions against Tehran.
If Trump moves forward with bombing Iran, it would be seen by many of his grassroots supporters as a betrayal of his early promises to keep the U.S. out of foreign wars. However, it may be a policy of exerting maximum pressure on Iran to receive the most favorable deal for the U.S. — only time will tell.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the conviction of Marine Le Pen and her exclusion from the presidential election was a “very serious matter”.
“This is a really big deal,” said the U.S. president on Monday when asked about Le Pen’s conviction yesterday, which saw her sentenced to two years in prison and two years of house arrest, in addition to a complete ban from running for office for five years.
“That’s a big deal. That’s a very big deal. I know all about it. And a lot of people thought she wasn’t going to be convicted of anything. And I don’t know if it means conviction, but she was banned for running for five years and she’s the leading candidate. That sounds like this country. That sounds very much like this country,” he added.
Earlier, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce commented on the ban and conviction. She referred to Vice President J.D. Vance’s speech in Munich in February, when the politician criticized Europe and defended freedom of speech and democratic principles.
“As a Western civilization, we cannot rest on lip service to democratic values. Political exclusion is particularly disturbing in the context of the aggressive and corrupt legal campaign being waged here in the United States against President Trump,” Bruce said. “We defend the right of every person to express their opinions publicly, whether or not we share them,” she added.
Marine Le Pen was sentenced yesterday by a judge for misusing EU funds in a case that is widely seen as political retaliation and an attempt to keep her running for president in 2027, a position she was widely expected to win.
The court estimated that she, along with 8 MEPs and 12 assistants, misused €2.9 million, as a result of “the European Parliament paying people who in reality worked for the National Rally.” The prosecutor’s office initially alleged that €7 million was used in this way.
"Power is shifting to the judges."
After the conviction of Le Pen, attorney and former MP @LellouchePierre points to growing judicial power across the West.
He cites Le Pen, but also Trump and other politicians like François Fillon who have been through judicial hell. pic.twitter.com/JxFEDCz9vL
Investigators accused Le Pen of leading a campaign to illegally use European subsidies between 2004 and 2016, when she was an MEP. Instead of working in Strasbourg, her assistants were supposed to work for Le Pen’s National Rally party.
Elon Musk’s political involvement has not been very good for Tesla’s sales in Europe, reports Hungary’s Portfolio news portal based on recent car sales.
In the European Union, 11,743 Teslas were sold in February this year, 47 percent less than a year ago; for both January and February, the decline was 49 percent.
Overall car sales shrank by only 3.4 percent in February and 3 percent in the first two months, while electric car sales grew by 23.7 percent and 28.4 percent, respectively.
Electric car sales increased in all but six EU countries, with the largest markets being Germany by 31 percent, Belgium by 39 percent, and the Netherlands by 22 percent.
Tesla’s most popular model, the Y, has had a model update, and many people have been waiting for the new cars, with problems with ramping up production at its Chinese factory, writes Portfolio, adding that this is not enough to explain the drop-off.
It would be difficult to explain the collapse in sales with these alone, as Musk’s politics, such as supporting the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party probably account for a fair share of the drop.
In February, electric car sales in Germany increased by nearly 31 percent, but Tesla sales fell by more than 70 percent. Meanwhile, Tesla sales fell by 50 percent in Portugal, 45 percent in France, 42 percent in Sweden, and 48 percent in Norway.
It is not any better over in China, either, where Tesla’s sales fell 49 percent in February, with 30,688 cars delivered, the lowest since July 2022.
In China, Tesla’s market share has fallen from more than 16 percent in 2022 to 4.3 percent by February 2025, while for Europe, according to Reuters, its share of the total EV market in February fell from 2.8 percent to 1.8 percent year-over.year, and from 21.6 percent of the BEV market to 10.3 percent.
However, those who have written Musk off before have often come out on the losing side, including Bill Gates’ notorious short position on Tesla stock from years ago. Tesla also has a number of products in the pipeline, including the Optimus humanoid robot and robotaxis. Those who claimed X would go bankrupt have also eaten crow, with the social media platform, with the value of the platform already rebounding to the original purchase price. Notably, Space X continues to pull away from competitors and reportedly is now worth more even than his shares in Tesla.
Representatives of the United States and Russia are holding talks in Saudi Arabia to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, but much uncertainty remains about whether Russian and Ukrainian demands will come much closer together.
On Sunday, the American delegation met with the Ukrainians, and today it is the turn of the Russian side. According to Portfolio, a key issue is the 30-day suspension of attacks on energy facilities, which the parties theoretically agreed on last week, but both Kyiv and Moscow accuse each other of violating the moratorium.
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that they would identify those facilities that could not be attacked under the agreement, including not only energy infrastructure but also the railway network and ports.
The issue of nuclear power plants is also receiving special attention. Trump has suggested that the U.S. could help operate Ukrainian nuclear facilities, and Zelensky has been open to American involvement. Kyiv would like to see the Zaporizhia plant returned to Ukrainian control, but Moscow is likely to reject this option.
The safety of Black Sea shipping is another concern. Although Russia withdrew from the agreement regulating grain exports last year, the World Bank reports that the parties are still able to ship grain to global markets. On this front, both Kyiv and Moscow appear willing to compromise.
The issue of prisoner exchanges is also moving in the right direction: Ukraine and Russia have mutually transferred 175 prisoners of war, and Moscow has even returned 22 seriously wounded soldiers as a “sign of goodwill.”
Ukraine’s NATO membership remains a contentious issue. While Ukraine sees membership as a constitutional goal, Putin is strongly opposed to it, with Trump saying Russia will not “allow” Ukraine to join.
While it seems unlikely that Kyiv will become a member of the Western military alliance in the foreseeable future, the situation is further worsened by contradictory statements within the U.S. government: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “This will not be the solution to the conflict,” while his deputy, John Coale, said a day later that NATO accession had not been ruled out.
With NATO membership moving further away, Kyiv wants other security guarantees. Washington has previously ruled out the possibility of sending peacekeepers to the country, but several European countries, led by France and the United Kingdom, are considering this option. Moscow, however, categorically rejects this route, viewing NATO troops as a security threat.
Moscow has also long said it does not consider Zelensky to be a legitimate president, as his term expired last year. However, Ukrainians have stressed that they will definitely not hold elections in a war situation. According to Ukrainian statements, there would be a realistic chance of holding new elections after a peace agreement, and Moscow, regardless of strong statements, has shown itself willing to continue peace talks with Zelensky.
On the issue of sanctions, Washington is also making conflicting statements: Moscow naturally wants sanctions to be eased, while Trump has repeatedly said that this is possible only after the peace agreement. The U.S. president has also hinted that until the peace agreement is signed, it may impose new sanctions on the Russian banking sector and impose punitive tariffs on Moscow.
Logically, there is also not much agreement between the parties on the issue of occupied Ukrainian territories. Moscow wants both Ukraine and the United States to recognize the five occupied Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as the Crimean peninsula, as Russian territory. The biggest problem with this demand is that significant areas of Zaporizhia, Kherson and Donetsk, as well as some villages in Luhansk, are not under Russian control.
Last year, Ukraine set a goal of complete liberation, but now they have admitted that they will not be able to regain all the territory by military means.
At the moment, the most likely scenario is that the ceasefire will take into account the areas currently under Russian control.
The issue of exploiting Ukraine’s natural resources also came up during the talks. An agreement is being prepared between the U.S. and Ukraine on the extraction of rare earth metals, and there is also talk of developing Ukrainian gas infrastructure, which could provide an alternative to Russian natural gas for European countries.
It is important to note, however, that a very significant percentage of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals are located in the Donbass, which is under Russian control
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is reportedly preparing to convene a high-level crisis meeting with top military officials and procurement experts amid growing unease over Germany’s multibillion-euro deal to purchase U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets, according to Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ).
The meeting, expected to bring together generals, Ministry of Defense experts, and officials from the Interior Ministry’s Office of Purchasing (BeschA), will center on evaluating the strategic reliability of the F-35 platform, as questions swirl over Germany’s potential overreliance on U.S. defense technology.
Germany plans to acquire at least 35 F-35 jets in a deal worth approximately €10 billion. However, concerns have been raised within political and military circles about whether the United States, particularly under the Trump administration, could use its control over the aircraft’s systems to limit or disable their operation remotely.
In a striking line published by SZ, the paper spectacularly asked: “Could the U.S. remotely switch off the F-35 fighter jets, which the Bundeswehr is purchasing for several billions? That’s just a rumor. But in an emergency, the Americans would have other options to put them out of action.”
The article is the latest in a long line of hysterical rhetoric published by the German mainstream media following Trump’s return to the Oval Office.
While a Defense Ministry spokesperson dismissed the claim stating, “The F-35 cannot be simply turned off remotely,” he acknowledged the broader concerns and emphasized that the F-35 is an international program involving eight partner countries and over 20 users, including 14 NATO members.
The controversy comes as several nations — including Canada, Portugal, and Switzerland — are reconsidering or facing political backlash over similar F-35 procurement plans.
“We cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our elections. The recent position of the United States within NATO… must make us think about the best options because the predictability of our allies is the greatest asset we have to take into account,” said Portugal’s outgoing Defense Minister Nuno Melo recently.
Security expert and Christian Democratic Union (CDU) MP Roderich Kiesewetter, openly questioned the decision to proceed with the procurement of F-35s in an interview with Tagesspiegel.
“The F-35 is a system that the U.S. controls in a fundamental way,” Kiesewetter said. “Germany would be too dependent on the United States… In theory, the U.S. has leverage to make it impossible for us and others to use the F-35.”
Alternative options such as Sweden’s Gripen and France’s Rafale fighter jets are reportedly under consideration, though no official shift has been made. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, whose firm contributes to F-35 production, warned against canceling the order, calling such a move “dangerous” and potentially damaging to Germany’s standing as a reliable defense partner.
Some European nations have already dismissed the idea of trashing their own procurement deals with the United States, including Czechia whose Prime Minister Petr Fiala said earlier this month, “It is a whole defense system that exceeds other offers in terms of quality. There is no reason to reconsider here.”
German commentators are complaining about Tuesday’s telephone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, which was aimed at ending the war and ultimately establishing peace.
These commentators are increasingly resorting to more extreme rhetoric against Trump, labeling him a “despot” or accusing him of “Mafia” tactics against Ukraine.
For four years during Trump’s first term, German newspapers had non-stop coverage of Trump, bordering on obsessive. Front pages were often filled with more U.S.-focused news stories than German ones. With Trump in power for a little over two months, this trend may be even more extreme this time around, especially due to Trump’s efforts to bring peace to Ukraine.
Remarkably, none of these commentators, despite their deep patriotic fervor to support Ukraine against the evil Putin, have been seen anywhere near the front. Instead, they want to send more Ukrainians there to die in the war, much like the German intelligence chief Bruno Kahl now openly says should continue — for another five years no less.
In Germany, political commentators are tirelessly stirring up anti-American, anti-Trump sentiment. “Putin treats Trump as his agent,” writes Nikolas Busse, commenting on the Trump-Putin conversation in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, as cited by Do Rzeczy.
“It is not known what Trump and Putin discussed on the phone. However, the statements published after the conversation indicate that the road to peace in Ukraine is longer than the American president presents,” Busse complains, pointing out that the Russian president is demanding an end to military aid for Ukraine, which “unmasks his views on ending the war.”
“Putin can treat Trump like an officer handling his agent. The U.S. president is breaking Kyiv’s resistance for him and is supposed to achieve a similar goal with the Europeans, because, in the case of military aid, a lot depends on them,” Busse continues.
A majority of Ukrainians now want an immediate end to the war, according to Gallup Research.
Hungary is now calling for Europe to respect the will of the people.
"The European pro-war mainstream does not want to see that the people have made a decision They do not want war." pic.twitter.com/Xf43tqgUbV
“The Russian president is simply taking advantage of the opportunity offered to him by Trump, who is a mixture of despotism and naivety. It is hard to understand how this can be treated as an expression of American power,” writes the “FAZ” commentator. In his opinion, the American president gains little from “deals” with Putin, which primarily bring Russia’s territorial gains in Ukraine.
Similar assessments are expressed by other commentators in leading magazines. Josef Wagner from “Bild” even points out that Trump comes from a family of millionaires, which may not seem very relevant to the conversation, but for the German press, any jab they can get in on Trump is justified. In his opinion, the U.S. president may have been deceived by Putin, who he says is a professional spy and former KGB officer.
One of the most anti-Trump newspapers, Die Zeit, runs nearly non-stop propaganda against Trump, with commentator Carsten Luther claiming Trump is “using mafia methods to force Ukraine into supposed peace negotiations, whose inglorious outcome he already half-anticipates.”
🇭🇺🇺🇦 PM Orbán: Europe’s wars lead to fewer White Christian Europeans and more migrants
Hungary's leader says the war in Ukraine is a demographic disaster, just like WWI and WWII were for Hungary. Now, migrants will be being used to fill the missing gaps. pic.twitter.com/IEwMOcJmxv
His entire op-ed makes thinly veiled claims that Trump is “controlled” by Moscow.
“Where does Trump’s strange fascination with Russia and the ruler in the Kremlin come from, which he has displayed for so long and which has characterized his entire first term as President of the United States? Starting with Russian manipulation during the 2016 election – in his favor. Then there was the suspicion that Trump himself had conspired with his Russian aides. Finally, extensive special investigations and attempts to obstruct them,” writes the Zeit columnist.
Of course, the special counsel investigation was a huge dud, with Robert Mueller being forced to admit that there was no evidence of collusion with Russia. Nevertheless, much like the readers of the liberal press in America, there was no “claim” too absurd to accept as long as it was an indictment of Trump. The dishonest attempts to associate Trump with some shadowy Russian cabal that Trump secretly supports, is in reality, simply just conspiracy-mongering from a German paper trying to gain clicks with yet another anti-Trump article.
There were, nonetheless, some signs of progress with Trump’s phone call with Putin. In a statement about the two-hour conversation, the Kremlin said that Putin had agreed to the demand to halt attacks on energy infrastructure located in Ukraine for 30 days.
This is no clear evidence that the war will wind down anytime soon. However, it cannot be denied that Trump is trying to bring the conflict to a peaceful conclusion, even if that means Russia keeps part of Ukrainian territory.
Before German commentators go into a rage over this, they should know that independent pollster Gallup already found that a clear majority of Ukrainians want exactly this outcome: peace with territorial concessions to Russia if need be. Their country and their people have been destroyed by this war, with a bleak future ahead, both demographically and socially.
The German political class and its media arm are the typical “chicken hawks,” asking others to fight a war absolutely no cost to their own lives or their families’ lives. Ukrainians owe them nothing.
The fact that Trump is the one pushing for peace makes any possible peaceful outcome even more unpalatable for the Germans. It cannot be said enough. They should all spend a few days at the front, and then we can all at least respect their calls to keep the war going. Until then, they are all cowards, and that should be the final word on the matter.
The chairwoman of the Bundestag’s Defence Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), expressed concern over the conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In her interview with WELT TV, cited by Poland’s Do Rzeczy news portal, Strack-Zimmermann said: “What is happening now is really terrifying. And given how unpredictable the American president is, we can’t know what will happen next.” In her opinion, their conversation did not only concern “division of Ukraine” but also broader consequences for Europe.
The German politician noted that Ukraine is “trembling” and she says it has reason to be. According to her, Europe should be especially vigilant because “two people are sitting at the table” who may be planning to divide the whole of Europe.
Strack-Zimmermann, who demanded Germany said Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine, which could have dramatically escalated the war, fears that the first step in this process will be the “victimization” of Ukraine.
“Putin is showing the world that he is ready to negotiate, and Trump is trying to show that he understands Putin and Russia. And the biggest tragedy is that Putin is much smarter than Trump. Because Putin clearly knows what he wants: He wants eastern Ukraine, he wants to finally keep Crimea. These are his maximalist demands,” she said.
The conversation between Trump and Putin lasted two hours.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said both leaders agreed that a lasting peace is needed and also sought improved relations between the United States and Russia.
Notably, Russia agreed that it would stop attacking Ukrainian infrastructure for 30 days, however, a more broad ceasefire has not yet been reached.
Earlier, the U.S. president had informed journalists that the main topics would be the issues of territorial concessions, as well as actions that must be taken by Russia and Ukraine to finally lead to a ceasefire and peace talks.
U.S.-Russia negotiations on Ukraine may include recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, in what would be a major concession to Russia. Reports indicate that D.C. is also considering approaching the UN with a proposal to recognize Crimea as Russian territory at the international level.
The website notes that Trump has not yet made a final decision on the matter and is also considering other options that could be included in the terms of the peace agreement, writes Polish news outlet Do Rzeczy, citing information from sources of the Semafor news portal.
The White House declined to officially comment on the matter. However, earlier, Trump said he would speak to Russian leader Vladimir Putin by phone on Tuesday, March 18. Asked what concessions were being considered in the ceasefire talks, Trump told reporters: “We’re going to talk about territories. We’re going to talk about power plants. We’re already talking about that, about dividing up some assets.”
The U.S. president did not provide any details, but Reuters reported he was referring to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of exposing the plant to the risk of catastrophe through their actions,
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Monday that Putin would hold a telephone conversation with Trump tomorrow, but declined to comment on the American leader’s statements about the territories and power plants.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the United States and Russia are now closer to reaching an agreement on Ukraine than ever before.
Russia occupied Crimea in 2014. An illegal “referendum” was held in the presence of the military, and then it was announced that the peninsula had become part of the Russian Federation. According to Moscow, 97 percent of Crimeans and 95 percent of Sevastopol residents voted to join Russia.
Russian media has been repeating from the very beginning that the inhabitants of the peninsula voted for democratic unification with Russia in accordance with international law and the UN Charter. According to President Vladimir Putin, the issue of Crimea “is finally closed.”
Maintaining the annexed peninsula is one of the key conditions that Russia has set for Ukraine before peace negotiations can take place. The authorities in Kyiv, however, do not want to agree to this and consider Crimea to be temporarily occupied territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in the summer of 2023 that “Crimea will be liberated, like all other parts of Ukraine, which, unfortunately, are currently under occupation.”
A far-left French MEP has called on the United States to return the Statue of Liberty, claiming the nation clearly doesn’t appreciate the monument or what it stands for.
French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann made the provocative remark on Sunday while addressing approximately 1,500 activists at his Place Publique party congress.
Glucksmann criticized certain American political decisions, claiming that the U.S. had forsaken the values of liberty that the statue represents.
“Give us back the Statue of Liberty,” Glucksmann declared, targeting “Americans who have chosen to switch to the side of tyrants.” He particularly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration for what he claimed was the dismissal of researchers in their pursuit of scientific freedom, suggesting that if the U.S. no longer values liberty, the statue would be more fitting in France.
“You have been given it as a gift, but apparently you despise it. So she will be very comfortable here at home,” Glucksmann said of the famous landmark.
His remarks were met with cheers from his supporters.
The Statue of Liberty, designed by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi with engineering contributions from Gustave Eiffel, was gifted by the French people to the United States to commemorate their alliance during the American Revolutionary War. Unveiled on Oct. 28, 1886, the statue has since stood as a symbol of American democracy and freedom on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.
A vocal supporter of Ukraine, Glucksmann also criticized Trump’s disengagement from the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. He expressed concerns over the global rise of far-right movements, which he linked to Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and French right-wing leader Marine Le Pen. In response, he called for “democratic resistance” to counter what he termed the “Trump and Musk fan club” in France.
Glucksmann further extended an invitation to American researchers who feel restricted by their country’s policies, stating: “If you want to fire your best researchers, if you want to dismiss those who, through their freedom, innovation, and sense of inquiry, have made your country the world’s leading power, then we will welcome them.”
His party has distributed a flyer urging the creation of a political force to uphold the French values of “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” by launching “training programs” to counter right-wing ideologies.
The U.S. administration has restored military and intelligence aid for Ukraine after the leaders’ meeting in Jeddah, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski confirmed. The Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs reported that arms shipments at the Jasionka airport are at the previous level, reports Salon24.
After recent talks in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine agreed to the American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. As a result, the United States resumed its interrupted military aid to the country. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha emphasized the significance of this decision, noting that Rzeszow, and especially Jasionka, is a key logistics center for arms deliveries to Ukraine.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski confirmed that arms deliveries via Jasionka have returned to previous levels. Today, he also met with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, in Warsaw.
“Glad to visit Warsaw and meet with Radek Sikorski to share the outcomes of our meeting in Jeddah. I am grateful to Poland for its strong support, including (the) latest military aid package. We discussed further joint steps to ensure long-term security for Ukraine and all of Europe,” FM Sybiha posted on X.
Glad to visit Warsaw and meet with @SikorskiRadek to share the outcomes of our meeting in Jeddah. I am grateful to Poland for its strong support, including latest military aid package. We discussed further joint steps to ensure long-term security for Ukraine and all of Europe. pic.twitter.com/tnCfeoeE0I
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would avoid compromises that would endanger human lives, referring to a possible peace agreement with Ukraine. He also stressed that Russia would not accept the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine in the event of a lasting peace agreement.
Posting on X, the European Commission responded to U.S. President Trump’s 25 percent tariffs, saying the EU must also “protect its consumers and businesses.”
In the EU commission’s official release, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said, “Tariffs are taxes. They are bad for business, and even worse for consumers. These tariffs are disrupting supply chains. They bring uncertainty for the economy. Jobs are at stake. Prices will go up. In Europe and in the United States.”
We regret the unjustified US 25% tariff on steel and aluminium imports.
The EU will protect its consumers and businesses.
We are launching swift, proportionate countermeasures worth up to €26 billion, matching the economic impact of the US tariffs.
Using a “carefully calibrated” two-step approach, the Commission’s response stated the following:
First, the Commission will allow the suspension of existing 2018 and 2020 countermeasures against the US to lapse on 1 April. These countermeasures target a range of US products that respond to the economic harm done on €8 billion of EU steel and aluminum exports.
Second, in response to new US tariffs affecting more than €18 billion of EU exports, the Commission is putting forward a package of new countermeasures on US exports. They will come into force by mid-April, following consultation of Member States and stakeholders.
The EU’s countermeasures, the release continued, “could therefore apply to US goods exports worth up to €26 billion, matching the economic scope of the US tariffs.”
Stressing the desire to reach a “negotiated solution,” the EU commission also added that “the abovementioned measures can be reversed at any time should such a solution be found.”
In a further statement at the end of the EU commission release, von der Leyen noted that “trade relations between the European Union and the US are the biggest in the world. They have brought prosperity and security to millions of people, and trade has created millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.”
She also stressed Brussels’ commitment to finding a resolution.
“We firmly believe that in a world fraught with geopolitical and economic uncertainties, it is not in our common interest to burden our economies with tariffs. We are ready to engage in meaningful dialogue. I have entrusted Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič to resume his talks to explore better solutions with the US,” the Commission president wrote.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated on the X platform that it is Poland that pays for Starlinks for Ukraine, to which SpaceX CEO Elon Musk replied: “Be quiet, small man.”
“Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year. The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers,” wrote Sikorski.
“Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink,” replied.
Starlinks for Ukraine are paid for by the Polish Digitization Ministry at the cost of about $50 million per year. The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers. https://t.co/WaJWCklgPE
— Radosław Sikorski 🇵🇱🇪🇺 (@sikorskiradek) March 9, 2025
Musk also claimed he never threatened to cut Ukraine off from his satellite network, even if he disagreed with the war continuing.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio entered the spat by posting a rebuke to Sikorski’s post, saying he was “making things up.”
“No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink,” he posted, adding, “And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now.”
Just making things up. No one has made any threats about cutting Ukraine off from Starlink
And say thank you because without Starlink Ukraine would have lost this war long ago and Russians would be on the border with Poland right now https://t.co/ImeiHFgaaw
Musk says that Starlink will “never” shut off its terminals in Ukraine. Russian forces have so far been unable to jam the satellite communications network, making it vital for Ukraine’s operations.
“To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals,” Musk wrote on X.
“We would never do such a thing or use it as a bargaining chip,” he added.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday played the role of peacemaker between the United States and the European Union in the ongoing debate over Ukraine, seeking to maintain Western unity while seeking to protect Italy’s national interest.
Speaking in a televised interview with Francesco Giorgino on Rai 1, the Italian premier insisted the seemingly contrasting approaches to ending the war by the United States and a majority view in Europe were not, in fact, too far apart, and noted that everyone wants the same objective — “a lasting peace and stability for Ukraine.”
However, while Britain and France have advocated for sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, Meloni has drawn a firm line, making it clear that Italy will not participate in such an effort.
“Italy has expressed its doubts,” she said of the plan. “Because in my opinion, it is very complex in reality. This is the reason why we said that we will not send Italian soldiers to Ukraine.”
Over the weekend, Meloni joined 17 European leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in London for high-level discussions on the war in Ukraine. The summit, which also included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, was held amid growing concerns over Western divisions. With the war showing no signs of abating, and with Donald Trump’s hardline approach to peace, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine militarily with the U.K. announcing a £1.6 billion (€1.94 billion) financing agreement to enable Ukraine to purchase air-defense missiles.
Meloni acknowledged the weight of the decisions facing European leaders, stressing that “these are not choices to be taken lightly.” While she reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to Ukraine and the broader Western alliance, she also made clear that any move must be carefully considered to avoid deepening fractures within the coalition. “My priority is always defending the Italian national interest,” she said, adding that Italy has a responsibility to prevent unnecessary divisions in the West.
A recent meeting between Zelensky and Trump in Washington resulted in an almighty row in front of the cameras with Trump and Vice President JD Vance making it clear that Ukraine’s leverage depends entirely on continued U.S. backing.
“You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards,” was the take-home line from Trump that resonated ahead of Zelensky’s visit to London.
This discord has heightened concerns in Europe that the U.S. could change course, leaving Ukraine more vulnerable. In response, Meloni has taken it upon herself to encourage open dialogue among Western allies, urging a united strategy for tackling not only the Ukraine conflict but also broader geopolitical challenges.
“It objectively shocked everyone,” Meloni said of the heated exchange. “There are moments when you need to make controversy and say what you think, and there are times when serious people work to recompose, they don’t work to further divide. Who benefits from that?” She said.
Unlike Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovak leader Robert Fico, who have openly criticized the West’s continued military support for Ukraine, Meloni has not wavered in her commitment to Kyiv. Yet she remains cautious about actions that could deepen internal discord among allies or lead to unintended consequences.
“It is in the Italian national interest to avoid any possible fracture within the West, because if there are divisions, it only makes us all weaker,” she said.
Beyond the war in Ukraine, Meloni also addressed economic tensions with the United States, particularly concerns over trade disputes, and elaborated on her relationship with the Trump administration.
“The concept of friend and foe in foreign policy is particularly interesting, in the sense that I am also a friend of a lot of people, of many leaders, but my first duty is to defend the Italian interest, not theirs,” she explained.
She warned that the imposition of tariffs among friends and the threat of a trade war “is not convenient for anyone, not even for the United States. I think this can be resolved in a positive way rather than starting an escalation.”
“As an exporting nation, our interest is completely opposite to the duties that Donald Trump is declaring. We will see what will happen,” she added.
After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that an agreement to end the war between Ukraine and Russia is still “very, very far away,” Elon Musk went on the offensive against the Ukrainian leader, accusing him of wanting the war to go on.
While U.S. President Trump said Zelensky’s words were “the worst statement” possible and that “America will not put up with it for much longer” just before cutting all funding to the war-torn nation, Musk reacted by calling Zelensky “evil” for wanting “a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder.”
Zelensky wants a forever war, a never-ending graft meat grinder. This is evil. https://t.co/FVaEkIm7Gq
Musk also took to posting other accounts commenting on the issue, including a repost of a clip of David Sacks, who said that Democrats increasingly support endless war.
“Zelensky basically says the war needs to go on forever. If the war is over, he loses power. He canceled elections there. If he stands for elections there, he’s very unpopular, despite what the fake USAID polls say,” said Sacks.
“The Democrats have become the Party of forever war. Remember this was Joe Biden’s war. He easily could have ended this war in the first month if he agreed to the Istanbul Accords, which said that all Ukraine had to do was stay neutral and basically agree not to become part of NATO. Biden said that was unacceptable, and that’s why the war continued.”
NEW: David Sacks says Democrats now support endless war, Zelensky wants the war to never end, and Joe Biden could have easily stopped the war in its first month by agreeing to the Istanbul Accords.
"Zelensky basically says the war needs to go on forever. If the war is over, he… pic.twitter.com/oR83maM548
The condemnation of Zelensky comes at a time when Ukrainians are increasingly being dragged off the street and being sent to the front.
Political commentator for Magyar Nemzet, Zsolt Bayer, wrote up a piece in response to yet another video of a young man being dragged away for military duty in Ukraine. “I’ve been watching these videos for years …and I’ve been horrified by them all for years. And I imagine what would happen if these… these… these I don’t know what kind of horrors happened anywhere else,” he wrote.
Hungary’s foreign minister warns of an EU-wide draft that could force European youth to serve in Ukraine. “Hands off Central Europeans, hands off Hungarian youth, we will not allow Hungarian youth to be involved in the war, because this is not our war.” https://t.co/HPssgD1sFM
He went on to say, “This is not a country, this is not a state, this is a rotten mafia-monster state that makes death lists, that deprives its citizens of the most basic human rights, that treats men like animals – and that in the meantime dreams of EU membership, scolds, demands, and loudly explains to everyone and anyone what to do, how to support, finance, and arm this scum.”
Remix News has reported extensively on Ukraine’s issues with manpower, boots on the ground, as its troops dwindle from ongoing casualties as well as hundreds of thousands fleeing service.
Forced conscription is real and most believe largely undocumented. The Hungarian community in Ukraine is said to have been badly targeted, culminating in an incident last May where relatives of forced draftees erected barricades in front of a recruitment center, demanding their husbands and sons be released.
Former Polish dissidents, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate and recipient of the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award Lech Wałęsa, have told U.S. President Donald Trump that footage of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday has left them shocked and disgusted.
In an open letter published by Wałęsa on his Facebook profile, they say the atmosphere in the Oval Office reminded them of the interrogations they experienced during secret police interrogations and communist trials, reports Echo24. Despite Wałęsa’s claims, most communist prisoners or interrogation targets were not allowed to immediately leave after arguing with their interrogators. Furthermore, most of these interrogations did not take place in as an open argument before the global press.
During the Oval Office rift, Trump told Zelensky that he had no cards in his hand and that he was “playing with the lives of millions of people, playing with World War III.”
“Prosecutors and judges, acting on the orders of the all-powerful communist political police, also explained to us that they held all the cards and we held none. They demanded that we stop our activities, arguing that thousands of innocent people were suffering because of us,” the former Polish dissident wrote.
Figures who contributed to the fall of communism in Poland find it offensive that Trump expects “respect and gratitude for the material assistance that the United States provided to Ukraine, which was at war with Russia.”
According to them, gratitude “belongs to the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed their blood to defend the values of the free world.” Former Polish dissidents reminded Trump that Ukrainians “have been dying on the front lines for 11 years in the name of the values and independence of their homeland, which is under attack by Putin’s Russia.”
Russia occupied and annexed Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014 and backed separatists who opposed Kyiv in eastern Ukraine. Three years ago, the Russian military launched a large-scale invasion of the neighboring country on the orders of President Vladimir Putin.
In addition to Wałęsa a symbol of the Poles’ resistance against the totalitarian regime and the first post-communist president, the letter was signed by, for example, former president Bronislaw Komorowski and publicist Adam Michnik.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán slammed European leaders on Sunday for what he called their continuation of the war effort in Ukraine after a summit in London led to further financing afforded to Kyiv for the purchase of arms.
“European leaders decided in London today that they want to go on with the war instead of opting for peace. They decided that Ukraine must continue the war. This is bad, dangerous, and mistaken. Hungary remains on the side of peace. Ceterum censeo,” Orbán wrote on X.
European leaders decided in London today that they want to go on with the war instead of opting for peace. They decided that Ukraine must continue the war.
This is bad, dangerous and mistaken. Hungary remains on the side of peace. Ceterum censeo.
The summit, attended by 17 European leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, focused on strategies for securing a lasting peace in Ukraine by continuing to back Kyiv to the hilt. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was also present as discussions took place.
One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the formation of a “coalition of the willing,” an alliance of nations that have pledged to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine should a ceasefire agreement be reached between Moscow and Kyiv — an agreement currently being worked on by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
Additionally, the U.K. reaffirmed its military support for Ukraine, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing a financing agreement allowing Kyiv to purchase £1.6 billion worth of air defense missiles manufactured in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The purchase will be funded by a loan from the British government to be repaid using frozen Russian assets.
“By doubling down on our support, working closely with key partners, and ensuring Ukraine has a strong voice at the table, I believe we can achieve a strong, lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace in Ukraine,” Starmer stated.
The summit went better for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky than his recent trip to the White House after a highly-publicized spat with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance saw the Ukrainian premier told in no uncertain terms that Ukraine “does not hold any cards” without the support of the United States and should seek peace immediately to end the bloodshed.
In Europe, however, the sentiment was notably different. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk remarked that Europe has “woken up,” while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a close ally of the Trump administration, cautioned against a rushed peace agreement that might not hold in the long term.
“We must be very careful when assessing what is being proposed, particularly in response to this key question: could this peace be violated? Because, unfortunately, we have seen this happen in the past,” Meloni said, alluding to previous failed ceasefires, such as the Minsk Agreements a decade ago.
The main takeaways from Sunday’s summit included Europe maintaining military aid to Ukraine, ensuring Kyiv has a role in any peace negotiations, deterring future Russian aggression, and establishing a coalition dedicated to Ukraine’s defense and long-term stability.
Following the meeting, Zelensky expressed gratitude for the European backing, sharing his optimism on Telegram:
“We feel strong support for Ukraine, our people: soldiers and civilians, our independence. We are working together in Europe to create a solid foundation for cooperation with America for the sake of real peace and guaranteed security. European unity is at an exceptionally high level, which has not been seen for a long time.”
The developments from the London summit show the obvious cracks between Europe’s and America’s approach to the Ukraine conflict, with a majority of European leaders committed to military and financial support, while the U.S. signals an urgent push for negotiations.
Two notable dissenters to the pan-European approach, however, are Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico.
Following Zelensky’s Washington trip, Orbán offered his unwavering support to Trump’s pursuit of peace, writing on social media, “Strong men make peace, weak men make war. Today, President Donald Trump stood bravely for peace even if it was difficult for many to digest. Thank you, Mr. President!”
Fico, meanwhile, has reiterated his unwillingness to fund Kyiv’s war effort and questioned the strategy from European leaders to keep Ukraine strong in order to deter further conflict.
“Slovakia will not support Ukraine either financially or militarily to enable it to continue the war,” Fico said. “Slovakia has reservations about the ‘peace through strength’. Ukraine will never be strong enough to negotiate from a position of military power,” he added
Polish President Andrzej Duda had some harsh words for Bogdan Klich, former minister of national defense of Poland and current chargé d’affaires in the Polish embassy in DC.
“In my personal opinion, Mr. Bogdan Klich is not fit to be the ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the United States. Especially in connection with the way he behaved towards the current President Donald Trump,” Duda said in an interview with wPolityce.
Asked about the rumors that Klich would be replaced by Radosław Sikorski, the president replies: “No such proposal was made to me.” Sikorski has run to defend Klich, but this appears to be of no import to Duda, who insists proper protocols be followed, per which, he and he alone appoints the ambassador.
Duda says Donald Tusk’s government ignored and undermined the presidential prerogatives regarding the appointment of Polish ambassadors, but “fortunately, in this last matter, the current government is willing to return to the proven procedure.”
“They understood that staffing diplomatic missions with managers greatly weakens the ability to conduct foreign policy. The head of a mission does not have the same competencies and opportunities as an ambassador with a letter of credence from the President of the Republic of Poland,” he said.
“I kept saying: ‘Please restore the procedure that was in force in Poland for 30 years and no one saw a problem with it. Please act in a manner consistent with the applicable law, which states that it is the president who appoints ambassadors, and that’s all. This rule that has been in force for years — obtaining the preliminary consent of the President of the Republic of Poland before starting further necessary procedures — was introduced to avoid compromising situations when a candidate for ambassador at the last stage is not finally accepted,” he told wPolityce.
When asked about using Poland’s presidency of the EU Council to organize at least two summits: EU-USA and EU-Ukraine, Duda said: “Can you imagine what we would have today if the European Union-Ukraine summit and the European Union-United States summit, if these two meetings were held in Poland, in Warsaw or another city? The attention of the entire world would be focused on Poland today, on what is happening in Poland, on the Polish presidency. Everyone would come here. Perhaps negotiations would take place here, discussions would take place here. Are they taking place? No. Why? Please ask Prime Minister Donald Tusk. I agreed with him that he would handle European affairs, and I would handle NATO and UN affairs, as before. I was convinced that we would organize these summits. I was convinced that there would be an informal summit of the leaders of the European Union here because such was the custom.”
When asked why these summits did not take place in Poland, Duda replied: “I don’t know. Some say that because if there was a summit, I would lead it as the head of state.”
“In the field of security, this cooperation is being implemented. However, if this cooperation was also reliable in the field of international politics and if they were not afraid of me as president, we would be much stronger on the international stage today. If all this was happening here today and if we were the center today. Unfortunately, this opportunity was wasted by Donald Tusk,” Duda added.
During U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Washington on Thursday, one journalist asked President Trump if he still considers Zelensky a “dictator.”
“Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question?” Trump replied.
Just last week, Trump had posted to his Truth Social account a scathing rebuke of Zelenksy, including calling him “a Dictator without Elections.”
The reversal in sentiment is right in front of the reported meeting the two leaders are set to have at the White House tomorrow to sign the much-talked-about rare earth minerals deal, paving the way for proposed peace talks and an eventual end to the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has confirmed that a final agreement with D.C. is in place; however, Kyiv is not considering signing a mineral extraction agreement without linking it to security guarantees, writes Do Rzeczy.
Meanwhile, President Zelensky said that the rare earth minerals deal reached with the United States is a “beginning” and a “framework agreement.”
“This agreement can be a great success or simply disappear,” he said, adding that Ukraine must know what it can expect from the U.S. and that he “will ask Donald Trump directly whether he will stop military aid to Ukraine.”
Reports have indicated that the U.S.-Ukraine agreement includes a provision to create a fund to which Ukraine would pay 50 percent of the income from the sale of state mineral resources, including oil and gas. The fund would invest the funds in projects in Ukraine.
In the wake of U.S. President Trump’s comments on Wednesday that the European Union was created “to screw the United States” upon announcing tariffs of 25 percent on EU goods, European leaders have been responding.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted on X that “the opposite” was true. “The EU was not created to deceive anyone. Quite the opposite. It was created to maintain peace, build respect between our nations, create free and fair trade and strengthen our transatlantic friendship. It’s very simple,” the head of government wrote on the X platform.
Commenting that the EU is a “different case” than Canada, Trump said, “They have really taken advantage of us in a different way. They don’t accept our cars, they don’t accept essentially our farm products. They use all sorts of reasons why not. And we accept everything of them.”
According to the European Commission, as cited by Do Rzeczy, average EU tariffs on U.S. products are 0.9 percent, while U.S. tariffs on EU products are 1.4 percent. In the case of passenger cars, EU tariffs are higher (10 percent vs. 2.5 percent), but the United States applies higher rates to trucks and pick-ups.
According to Trump, America has a trade deficit with the EU of $300 billion, while Brussels claims the surplus is only $50 billion (including services).
The Polish Institute of International Affairs points out that the EU is the largest trading partner of the USA, with 2024’s bilateral trade in goods totaling almost $1 trillion.
Now voices are being raised warning against inviting a trade war and also on the importance of alternative friendships.
Last week, EU Trade Commissioner Marosz Szefczovicz visited the White House to express hope for avoiding a U.S.-EU trade war and proposed a mutual reduction in tariffs on cars. He noted “how massive the U.S.-EU partnership is” and that discussions focused on how to “move forward by fostering mutual benefits.”
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store has previously warned that the U.S. risks triggering a “devastating” trade war if it imposes import restrictions on European goods. French government spokeswoman Sophie Primas said that while Europe does not want a trade war with the U.S., it is ready to respond if Washington imposes import tariffs.
Despite being congratulated by leaders around Europe seeking to work closely with Germany on the economy and security, recent election winner Friedrich Merz (CDU) has made no public comments on Trump’s comments nor the chance of a trade war.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, however, pointedly spoke about the need for “trusted friends” as she arrived in India. “Touchdown in Delhi with my team of Commissioners. In an era of conflicts and intense competition, you need trusted friends. For Europe, India is such a friend and a strategic ally,” she posted on X, adding, “I’ll discuss with PM Narendra Modi how to take our strategic partnership to the next level.”
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has launched a scathing attack on the European Union’s leadership following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of an impending 25 percent tariff on European imports.
In a statement on his social media channels, Szijjártó accused the EU leadership, specifically the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen, of incompetence and cowardice in trade negotiations with Washington, accusing Brussels of failing to act despite knowing Trump’s stance on trade fairness and the likelihood of new tariffs.
“The whole world, including Brussels, knew very well that Donald Trump wants balanced trade conditions,” Szijjártó stated. “They knew, but they did nothing. Because they are incompetent, and especially cowards.”
“They bullied Donald Trump for eight years and now they don’t dare to face him,” Szijjártó added, lamenting von der Leyen’s leadership of the bloc which he says has now “isolated the European economy, after China, from the American economy as well.”
The Hungarian minister emphasized that the EU could have averted the tariffs with minor policy adjustments proposed by Budapest, such as lowering the duty on American cars imported into Europe from 10 percent to 2.5 percent, matching U.S. tariffs on European cars. However, according to him, bureaucratic inefficiency prevented such action.
“Brussels bureaucracy is killing the European economy: sanctions on Russia, customs on the Chinese electric car industry, and the complete inability to negotiate with the United States,” Szijjártó added.
President Trump, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, justified the new tariffs, saying, “The European Union was formed to screw the United States – that’s the purpose of it and they’ve done a good job of it. But now I’m president.” The 25 percent tariff, he noted, would apply broadly to European goods, with a particular impact on the auto industry — a move likely to give the new German government a sizeable headache.
NOW – Trump: "The European Union was formed in order to screw the United States. That is the purpose of it." pic.twitter.com/u9IgXVcfUy
The European Union responded with a strong rebuttal, warning that it would react “firmly and immediately against unjustified tariffs.”
“It has been a boon for the United States. We’re ready to partner if you play by the rules. But we will also protect our consumers and businesses at every turn. They expect no less from us,” a spokesperson for the European Commission stated.
Hungary now appears to be intent on using the goodwill it has secured with the Trump administration over recent years to seek an independent path to safeguard its economic interests. Szijjártó announced that Budapest would engage in direct negotiations with Washington to ensure strong Hungarian-American trade relations. “What Brussels damaged, we must fix here in Budapest,” he declared, vowing to pursue the “most productive Hungarian-American economic cooperation of all time.”
Ukraine’s largest privately owned energy company began importing American LNG just as Kyiv decided to stop supplying Russian gas to Europe.
Ukraine hopes to sign a 10-to 20-year LNG deal next month with U.S. firms, Venture Global or Cheniere Energy, Reuters has revealed after the CEO of Ukrainian private gas company DTEK, Maxim Timchenko. The plan is to import the gas into storage facilities in Ukraine, from where it will supply Ukraine as well as be routed to Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.
“It’s an active discussion of our trading arm – another round of discussions and meetings will be taking place at (the) CERAWeek (conference) in Houston, so they will be speaking not only to Venture Global but to other big LNG suppliers. Cheniere, for example,” the CEO said.
The issue of gas supplies to the region after Zelensky decided to cut off transit routes from Russia has been in the news for a while. Despite ongoing sanctions against Russia, some countries, such as Hungary, are not only forced to take Russian gas due to being landlocked and the lack of alternative pipelines, but also due to its infrastructure being designed to refine Russian gas.
Hungary has, nevertheless, been working steadily on alternatives.
Last October, MOL, Hungary’s international oil and gas company, said it could refine up to 30-40 percent of non-Russian crude oil in its refineries in Slovakia and Hungary, with this figure expected to reach 100 percent by the end of 2026. The company’s president said if pressed, the current capacity could be pushed to 50 percent.
The country has also been in talks to buy gas from other countries such as Romania, with Foreign Minister Szijjártó reaching an agreement in late 2023 with Turkish state-owned oil and gas trading company BOTAS.
The U.S. has made no secret of its intent to profit off of LNG sales in the wake of the Nord Stream explosions and Russian sanctions, and there is no sign this will wane under Trump. According to Cipher News, American LNG accounted for 45 percent of EU LNG imports last year, a threefold increase over 2021.
There is some irony regarding Zelensky looking to specifically punish Slovakia and Hungary by shutting off its Russian gas pipelines and now looking to sell U.S. supplies. Since Russian gas imports via Ukraine were halted at the start of this year, heavily impacting both Hungary and Slovakia, Zelensky has had to rely heavily on imports from both countries to compensate for losses after a series of Russian missile and drone attacks targeted Ukraine’s gas storage facilities.
U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky have struck a deal regarding Ukraine’s rare earth metals, paving the way for further negotiations on ending the war.
Trump says that in exchange for access to its minerals (50 percent of revenues from state-owned mineral resources), Ukraine will receive military equipment and “the right to fight on.” The U.S. president said the deal will help the Ukrainian economy while paying back the United States the tens of billions it has sent Ukraine in aid, including military equipment.
In terms of how long such aid could continue, Politico reports that Trump said: ”It could go forward for a while, and maybe until we have a deal with Russia.”
Trump has expressed interest in a minerals deal with Putin as well.
News of the agreement with Kyiv comes just in time, as many were calling into question just how long Ukraine could last if Trump pulled military assistance.
“Maybe we can hold out for six months or a year to give Europe another year to start producing whatever ammunition it can,” said Mykola Bieljeskov, a senior analyst at a charity that supplies drones to the Ukrainian military, as cited by Magyar Nemzet.
American weapons, especially advanced air defense systems, would be practically irreplaceable in the short term. Meanwhile, European leaders have been panicking, with emergency meetings held over the past week to plan how to continue supporting Ukraine in the war if the U.S. pulls out.
Only the United States produces Patriot air defense systems, which can shoot down Russian ballistic missiles. The lack of ATACMS long-range missiles would also be a blow, while Ukrainian forces could also lose access to the satellite internet provided by Elon Musk’s Starlink, which has so far been partly funded by the Pentagon.
The EU also reportedly presented its own minerals deal to officials in Kyiv. However, sources say the agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. could be finalized by the end of this week, with reports stating Trump has said Zelensky may be at the White House this Friday for a signing ceremony.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić told “Epilogue” viewers on TV Insider that U.S. President Donald Trump directly mentioned Serbia as a place where USAID wanted a regime change, reports Blic.
“Someone was only waiting for additional tragedies, meanwhile preparing different types of scenarios for some new riots and for some new attacks on the state. And that is nothing new, and it can be seen through the words of President Donald Trump. Donald Trump directly mentioned Serbia yesterday, the president of the United States of America directly mentioned Serbia as a place where they wanted a political change of government. Those who received American money to overthrow the government,” said Vučić in the Epilogue show on TV Insider.
In July of last year, the government of Serbia issued a joint statement with USAID regarding $18 million of new funds for a “development partnership,” and outlets have pointed out that the government has thanked the U.S. for such money in the past.
The July statement noted that the new “funds will be used, among other things, to improve public procurement procedures in Serbia, improve access to justice for citizens, improve environmental protection and energy security, promote a stronger media environment, improvement of economic opportunities for vulnerable groups, as well as for greater competitiveness of the Serbian economy.”
Vučić admitted during his TV interview that money has been received and used, but primarily for “senseless projects that were supposed to cover the eyes,” while the real intent of most funding was to overthrow the government. Asked about the “many videos” of himself and other officials thanking USAID for funding projects, Vučić said that “when someone gives you 1,000 euros, it is up to you to still politely say ‘thank you.’”
He then indicated that money was spent on equipping Serbian courts with various recording devices, microphones and many other things. But far larger amounts were being handed to NGOs such as Trag and CRTA.
“In the last four years, there were 400 million (dinar), of which not even 10 million went to the state. Everything went your way for the non-governmental sector,” said Vučić.
Oddly, in April of 2024, a few months before USAID’s additional $18 million was announced, Trag and CRTA jointly announced a USAID competition for grants under what they called a “Mobilization Fund program.”
“Trag Foundation and CRTA, with the financial support of the American Agency for International Development (USAID), invite you to apply for the competition for the Mobilization Fund program.”
Listed activities that could receive grants included: “local community development, human rights, anti-discrimination, women’s rights and women’s empowerment, youth empowerment, inclusion, solidarity economy, environmental protection, socio-economic development, rule of law, accountability of public institutions, fight against corruption, urbanism and public spaces and all others in which activists recognize challenges.”
Former prime minister and president of the National Assembly of Serbia Ana Brnabic has been called out as well for her gratitude in the past for USAID funds that had presumably “improved” the country. Now, with Trump in office, she is changing her tune, saying the “investigative media outlets” financed by USAID had systematically harmed Serbia, according to Tanjug.
“In the past 10-11 years, they have been implying that anyone who engages in politics is, in a way, corrupt or wants to be corrupt. That has made it impossible for the many quality people who wanted to help, or were perhaps helping from the background all the time, to get involved as state secretaries or ministers because they would, in fact, immediately be targeted by various media such as Krik,” Brnabic said on Pink TV.
Brnabic further let the cat out of the bag, noting there is no such thing as independent media, which merely implies reliance on U.S. money from special interest groups.
“You can see that those media outlets and the people working there were quite dependent. It is just that they were dependent on the American administration and, to make things worse, not on a U.S. administration elected by American citizens, but on what is referred to as the deep state,” Brnabic said.
According to Tanjug, Serbia will further investigate the spending of USAID funds if the U.S. asks.
Regarding the media portal Kric, mentioned above. President Vučić had a recent spat with one of its journalists who tried, again, to corner Vučić with supposed information on his brother at the opening of the International Tourism Fair in Belgrade.
The journalist said that Andrej Vučić’s name was brought up in recorded messages, indicating he held power over state contracts in Novi Sad and also regarding police appointments.
Vučić called the allegations “a notorious lie,” reiterated his brother holds no political office, and then turned on the journalist, asking, “I am interested in you answering the question of how much money you received from USAID, how much from NED? How much money did these two criminal organizations, both one and the other, transfer to you? How much, as the American president and one of the most famous secular, one might say, businessmen, Elon Musk, who calls these criminal organizations? How much money did they give you for this?
Making fun of the allegations from third parties, Vučić said, “Many people also write that I told them I would jump from the Smilovica lookout, but I haven’t jumped yet.” He then pointed out that, on the other hand, the funding Kric has received from the U.S. is a fact.
The journalist then accused the president of targeting journalists, again, to which Vučić replied: “How can I target you? I’m just asking how much money you received.”
The United States has reportedly given $937 million to Serbia since 2001. Although the USAID site is no longer online, a Google search still shows entries, with one for Serbia saying this money was meant for “economic and democratic development.”
A U.S. official arrived in Budapest directly from Riyadh to inform the Hungarian government about the Russian-American meeting.
The U.S. Embassy in Budapest posted: “Louis L. Bono, the senior official in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, met with Deputy Secretary of State Levente Magyar in Budapest today. The two officials discussed a range of issues important to advancing American and Hungarian security and prosperity.
“Senior official Louis Bono reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to ending the war in Ukraine in a manner that is just, lasting, sustainable, and acceptable to all parties involved.”
According to the deputy minister and parliamentary state secretary, Levente Magyar, referred to by Mandiner as the right-hand man of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, the meeting with Bono gave Hungary firsthand information about the peace negotiations.
🇺🇸🤝🇭🇺“Undoing the damage of the Biden administration” — top U.S. and Hungarian ministers meet in DC — “Everything is in place for excellent Hungarian-American economic cooperation”
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó was the first foreign minister… pic.twitter.com/jRW14kMDba
Louis Bono reportedly told Magyar that the meeting in Riyadh between Russia and the U.S. was a huge step forward and that the parties agreed on a common goal: to end the war.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also made it clear that the two countries want to restore U.S.-Russian economic and political relations, noting that they will look to restore their respective embassies.
According to the Hungarian official, Bono said U.S.-Hungarian relations are also a priority.
“The Trump administration views our country as a particularly important partner,” underlined Levente Magyar.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing calls to hold elections as he attempts to dig himself into a war neither the United States nor Russia want to pursue. The leader of wartorn Ukraine has long been called out for refusing to hold elections, with critics citing other countries who had no issue sticking to democratic norms even during a war.
Now, Trump has labeled Zelensky a “dictator” while Musk is accusing Zelensky of murdering an American journalist. In short, relations between the U.S. and Ukraine just underwent a cataclysmic split, with Zelensky potentially facing calls for justice for his potential role in the murder of the American journalist Gonzalo Lira.
Social media is in an uproar, demanding elections be held. “Zelensky cannot claim to represent the will of the people of Ukraine unless he restores freedom of the press and stops canceling elections!” posted Elon Musk.
Zelensky has enacted martial law, attacked free speech, banned political parties, and even banned the Orthodox Church. In this last move, taken last summer, Ukraine had criminally charged some 100 clergymen as of August for spreading “Russian propaganda.”
And then, there was the American journalist who died in a Ukrainian prison.
“Ukraine imprisoned and killed Gonzalo Lira, an American Journalist who was critical of Zelensky. This was his last tweet,” an account posted under Musk’s comment regarding elections. To which, Musk then replied: “Zelensky killed an American journalist!”
“And Biden let him die in prison,” wrote the original poster.
Now, Zelensky not getting onboard the peace train is an open invitation to being hung out to dry, as seen in U.S. President Trump’s brutal takedown of him on Truth Social.
Calling Zelensky a “dictator” who imposed martial law and has a 4% approval rating, Trump has made it clear Zelensky will have no seat at the negotiating table, especially with his recent stance against the peace plans proposed.
“A dictator without elections, Zelensky better move fast, or he is not going to have a country left,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Clearly, D.C. now wants Ukraine to hold elections in the hope of getting rid of Zelensky, although Trump rightly assesses that Zelensky could in no way want this, as he “probably wants to keep the ‘gravy train’ going.”
The defenders of Zelensky having refused to hold elections have ironically been many of the very same critics of Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán’s “illiberal democracy.” The very same people who, despite democratic elections being held, have found a way to believe they were anything but the will of Hungarians.
Zelensky, however, has ample reason to not hold elections.
Just 16 percent of Ukrainians said they would vote to re-elect Zelensky for a second term, according to polling from Social Monitoring Centre in Kyiv that had 1,200 Ukrainian respondents, which was published in November 2024. The poll represented the most comprehensive study of electoral preferences since the war broke out in 2022, In addition, 60 percent said they would prefer Zelensky not to even stand for re-election.
One of the most controversial aspects of the new U.S. leadership under Donald Trump is the plan to cut unnecessary spending by hundreds of billions, which is being carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk. The idea is supported by a very simple logic: If the economy is in bad shape, it would be a good idea to first look at where the money is going and not spend American taxpayer dollars on, for example, Hungarian media outlets.
Documents show that the Biden administration sent money to various Hungarian media outlets that repeatedly published articles that portrayed the Paks II investment, Hungary’s major nuclear energy investment, in a bad light.
“These platforms and the organizations behind them took advantage of the fact that it is difficult for the average person to access reliable information in the field of nuclear energy, where it is not easy to see clearly in the tangle of interests and counter-interests,” said nuclear energy expert Zsolt Hárfás while speaking to Hungarian news outlet Magyar Nemzet. According to Hárfás, the owner of the Atombiztos.org website that focuses on the topic of nuclear energy, it is clear that the media platforms in question typically claim to be independent.
The U.S. Embassy in Budapest’s media support tender went to well-known opposition media outlets such as 444, G7, Klubrádió, Magyar Hang, Greenfo, and Átlátszó. By withdrawing support for these platforms — more precisely, by suspending the allocation of the amounts won in the tender for the time being — the new US administration is now saving a total of 173 million forints.
“The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) also used American taxpayers’ money to gain political and economic influence around the world. The supported organizations – among other things – massively attacked the Hungarian government’s policy on nuclear energy and the Paks II project,” said Zsolt Hárfás, before starting to list specific examples.
“The right to determine the energy mix is a sovereign national competence, and Hungary is building a new nuclear power plant in this spirit. However, the investment has been attacked for years by Átlátszó.hu, which, according to its official financial report, received the most funding from the American National Endowment for Democracy in 2023 and the years before that. In addition, they also received financial resources from the US Embassy in Budapest,” explained the expert.
NEW: 🇩🇪 Germany is importing huge volumes of nuclear-generated electricity due to recent unfavorable weather for renewable energy production — placing the left-wing government's decision to shut down Germany's nuclear power plants firmly under the spotlight in the lead-up to next… pic.twitter.com/86TuVScWF2
“In recent years, false information has continuously appeared on (the Hungarian version of) Radio Free Europe using American taxpayer money to question the necessity of the Paks II project and about Rosatom, which supplies the technology. Radio Free Europe also followed the American narrative that casts doubt on the performance and reliability of the currently world-leading Russian nuclear energy industry, while sympathizing with the American nuclear energy industry, which has been at a competitive disadvantage for years, or rather decades,” said the expert, who has previously dealt with untruths published on the news site
Speaking of misleading readers, Zsolt Hárfás, who has also lost embassy support and has now switched to Greenfora, draws attention to the anti-Paks II writings of Bence Tordai, the leader of the Párbeszéd.
“For example, in his latest opinion article, the politician pointed out that the Hungarian authorities did not help to solve the problem of reducing the temperature of the water cooling the old and new nuclear power plant units before it is returned to the Danube. It is a fact that the river’s wildlife needs to be protected from excessively warm cooling water, and accordingly, so-called supercooling devices will be built to ensure that the temperature of the returned water remains below the limit value. This is no secret, and numerous articles have been published about it,” Hárfás pointed out. He noted that “the devices are even featured on the visual design illustrating the cooling system are featured in opinion article itself.”
And the list is not over yet.
The podcast also noted that Nyugati Pályán also operated with embassy support. The not-so-well-known entity (it has published 22 episodes since 2022) has spent a larger amount of money, totaling 140 million forints, on advertisements so far, according to Facebook’s ad library data.
“The German Grassroots Foundation supported the Atomcsapda blog posts that stated obvious untruths about nuclear energy. And the Paksi Riot team attacking the Paks II project was funded by George Soros’ organization, the Open Society Institute,” continued Hárfás. He then recalled that the Austrian Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism supported the Energiaklub’s anti-nuclear activities for years in order to initiate various legal proceedings against Paks II.
This was included in their 2019 financial report, but the civil organization has since received a grant from Austria, apparently even in 2023, explained the expert. In closing, he emphasized that, in his opinion, Hungary must continue to use all means to protect the construction of the two new Paks blocks, which serve the interests of the nation, as it is clear from the above that the project has been and is currently being attacked in numerous ways.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has firmly rejected attempts by left-wing organizations to secure European Union funding following U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze USAID programs worldwide. In a defiant tweet, Orbán accused globalist, liberal, and Soros-backed NGOs of seeking refuge in Brussels after their financial pipeline from the U.S. was cut off.
“Our fears have come true,” Orbán wrote. “The globalist-liberal-Soros NGO network is fleeing to Brussels after President Trump dealt a huge blow to their activities in the U.S. Now 63 of them are asking Brussels for money under the guise of various human rights projects. Not going to happen!”
The Hungarian leader’s statement came in response to an urgent appeal from the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), which, alongside more than 60 civil society organizations, is pressuring the EU to replace the financial void left by the U.S. aid freeze.
WARNING! Our fears have come true: the globalist-liberal-Soros NGO network is fleeing to Brussels, after President Trump dealt a huge blow to their activities in the US. Now 63 of them are asking Brussels for money, under the guise of various human rights projects. Not going to…
Last month, President Trump signed an executive order imposing a 90-day freeze on all U.S. foreign aid, effectively shutting down USAID funding for international organizations the new U.S. administration believes is often wasted, misused, and out of line with the president’s “America First” approach.
The White House subsequently published a list of USAID projects it said highlighted the “waste and abuse,” including a grant of $1.5m to an LGBTQ group in Serbia, $2.5m for electric vehicles in Vietnam, and $6m for tourism in Egypt. In total, the U.S. spent $68bn on international aid in 2023.
The move immediately prompted widespread criticism from pro-migration, feminist, and LGBTIQ advocacy groups.
With their budgets suddenly cut off, affected organizations have turned to Brussels, urging the EU — the world’s largest foreign aid provider — to step in and cover the shortfall. Their appeal outlined specific demands, including emergency EU funding to replace lost U.S. aid; reduction of “bureaucratic barriers” to make EU funding more easily accessible to progressive groups; and the exertion of diplomatic pressure on the Trump administration to reverse the aid freeze.
Orbán’s staunch rejection of the EU funding request reiterates his long-standing opposition to foreign-funded NGOs, particularly those affiliated with George Soros and his Open Society Foundations.
The Hungarian leader has repeatedly accused such groups of promoting mass migration, radical progressive policies, and undermining national sovereignty.
Referring to Trump’s USAID-files exposé, which alleged misuse of U.S. aid funds by left-wing organizations, Orbán emphasized that Hungary and its allies would not allow these groups to establish a stronghold in Europe.
“We will not let them find safe haven in Europe!” he declared. “The USAID-files exposed the dark practices of the globalist network. We will not take the bait again!”
Germany’s left is going all in on its pro-war effort, with Europe reportedly plotting its own course behind the scenes, which was not supposed to be made public until after Germany’s elections on Feb. 23. The Berliner Zeitung has reported that German Defense Minister Annalena Baerbock, of the Green Party, let slip the details of Europe’s plan to provide weapons to Ukraine on its own, with a projected allocation of some €700 billion for such purchases, with much of the money coming from Germany.
“We will launch a large package that has never been seen on this scale before,” Baerbock told Bloomberg on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, calling it an emergency measure “for security in Europe.”
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene also spoke to Bloomberg about the inspiration behind the move, saying the “realization that it is not the United States that will defend Europe, but that Europe will defend itself with the help of the United States (…) We need to spend quickly on defense, and spend a lot, hundreds of billions need to be spent immediately. We will all need to act quickly, including Germany.”
It is interesting that Sakaliene notes “with the help of the United States.” The question is: Will the U.S. want anything to do with Europe’s plan for massive arms procurements to Ukraine when Trump has made clear the only goal is peace. Of course, Trump has also been adamant that Europe ups its own defense spending, but that has nothing to do with U.S. “help,” in fact, it is meant to cut it.
The plans to boost defense spending at a historic scale came just after an emergency meeting hosted by French President Macron in Paris, Macron got behind the idea of a “security force” to be deployed behind the future ceasefire line. While British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the U.K. was ready to send troops to Ukraine if necessary, other countries are more reluctant.
“At the moment, no one is considering sending troops to Ukraine,” said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez, reports Do Rzeczy, after a meeting of EU leaders in Paris. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at the meeting that Poland was also not ready to send its troops to Ukraine, but promised that his country would continue to provide aid to Kyiv.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called sending troops to Ukraine “completely premature.”
“It is a difficult situation for Europe. We welcome the talks about peace for Ukraine. But it must be a fair and sustainable peace. And: Ukraine must be part of these talks. Europe will keep on supporting Ukraine. This is what I stressed in my meetings with Volodymyr Zelensky,” he wrote on his X account.
Just an hour later, Scholz also wrote: “NATO is based on the fact that we always act together and share risks. This must not be called into question. There must be no division of security and responsibility between Europe and the USA.”
In terms of enforcing any eventual peace agreement, President Trump has said the United States will send zero troops.
Present at the meeting were France, U.K., Spain, Poland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa have also been invited to Paris.
An area of agreement among all parties was the need for greater defense spending across Europe, with joint financing also discussed.
On X, Tusk wrote: “If we, Europeans, fail to spend big on defense now, we will be forced to spend 10 times more if we don’t prevent a wider war. As the Polish PM, I’m entitled to say it loud and clear, since Poland already spends almost 5% of its GDP on defense. And we will continue to do so.”
Of course, it is hard to draw any sort of consensus on what Europe wants or expects when the vast majority of EU countries were not even at this latest meeting. As Fidesz MEP Andrász László posted on X: “If the 8 countries who gathered in Paris on Monday for a crisis summit supposedly represent ‘EU unity’, what should the two-thirds of EU countries think, who were not invited?” He then called the meeting an “absolute clownshow.”
If the 8 countries who gathered in 🇫🇷Paris on Monday for a crisis summit supposedly represent "🇪🇺EU unity", what should the two-thirds of EU countries think, who were not invited?🤷🏻
The powerless pro-war elite is trying to prove its own importance, writes Magyar Nemzet in its commentary piece.
Europe’s war-mongering leaders are in a panic. Monday’s hastily convened security summit in Paris is a clear example of this. They are still trying to process the fact that the United States did not invite them to talks with Russia on the future of Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he might meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “I don’t know what the Europeans would be doing at the negotiating table.”
The helpless haste of recent years has now been replaced by hysteria in the West. Europe’s warring leaders are rushing to get a seat at the negotiating table, but the question is whether they can even succeed, but one thing is certain: they will try. They are doing this despite the fact that the continent’s economy is sinking due to Brussels’s misguided sanctions policy, while the Russian-Ukrainian war has cost the lives of masses of people. It seems that Brussels and Western leaders have squandered their opportunities.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also spoke about this in Moscow.
The aim of the Paris talks is for European leaders to try to convince the U.S. president that they are valuable partners. This is evidenced by the fact that European politicians have announced one after another that they are willing to send troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that the U.K. is “ready and willing to send troops to the field.”
However, Europe’s leaders still fail to realize that they are no longer the ones dictating the war.
After almost three years of non-stop pro-war narratives, they continue to insist that Kyiv participate directly in the ceasefire negotiations. They have long maintained the view that “decisions about Ukraine cannot be made without Ukraine.”
What the warmongers in Paris ignore is the fact that the president of America is no longer Joe Biden, but Donald Trump. And Trump has declared that he will end the suffering and the fighting. Washington has begun negotiations with Moscow.
But much more is at stake for Europe than this.
Not all European countries will attend Monday’s summit, however. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Denmark — which is expected to represent the Baltic and Nordic countries — as well as Brussels and a representative of NATO will be present.
Much of the Paris meeting will reportedly also focus on the issue of sending troops to Ukraine after the ceasefire.
The idea being discussed does not involve peacekeeping troops, but a “security force” that would be stationed behind a potential ceasefire line, rather than on it, the BBC reports.
The purpose of the European team’s presence would be threefold. To send a message to the Ukrainians that they are not alone, another message to the United States to show that Europe is “doing its part” in defending its own continent, and the final message to Moscow to warn it that if it violates the terms of a potential ceasefire, it will have to face more than just Kyiv.
But it’s a controversial concept and will likely not be popular with voters. In Italy, for example, 50 percent of those polled don’t want to send more weapons to Ukraine, let alone their sons, daughters, sisters, and brothers there.
However, there are still many unanswered questions about the idea of pro-war countries. Here are just a few:
How many soldiers should each European country send, for how long, and under whose command? What would their mission be – for example, if Russia violated the terms of an agreed ceasefire, would that mean European soldiers would be directly at war with Russia? Would the United States support them in that case?
Pro-war politicians are panicking over Trump
Donald Trump and his administration have sent an unambiguous message to Europe. The continent should take a much greater responsibility in supporting Kyiv. At the same time, the United States would rather focus on ending the Russia-Ukraine war and reducing its costs.
Washington would turn off the money taps, causing panic among those who want to continue the war with European money.
The bloodshed must end, and this war must end. This is what Donald Trump’s secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, said regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.
“President Trump has made it clear that stopping the fighting and achieving lasting peace is his top priority. He intends to end this war diplomatically and bring both Russia and Ukraine to the table. And the U.S. Department of Defense will help achieve that goal,” he stated.
Hegseth also issued harsh criticism of their allies. He said: “NATO is a great alliance, the most successful defense alliance in history, but for it to survive in the future, our partners must do much more to protect Europe.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also expressed doubts about the role Europe can play in the Ukrainian peace talks. Speaking at a press conference after talks with Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric, he said, “I don’t know what the Europeans would be doing at the negotiating table. If they were to come up with such cunning ideas as freezing the conflict, while they were planning to continue the war in their usual way, according to their morals and customs, then why would we invite them?”
The minister recalled that Europe already had the opportunity to participate in the negotiation process:
Germany’s strict laws on online speech have drawn criticism from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who described them as “Orwellian” and warned that they could severely impact European-U.S. relations.
His remarks were made in response to a “60 Minutes” interview with German prosecutors, in which they confirmed that insulting someone in public or online is a crime, with harsher penalties for internet-based offenses.
“Is it a crime to insult somebody in public?” asked the CBS journalist, to which all three lawyers replied, “Yes.”
They confirm it is also a crime to insult someone online “and the crime could be even higher if you insult them on the internet because it stays there.”
They were then asked: “If someone posts something that’s not true, and then somebody else reposts it or likes it, are they committing a crime?”
“In the case of reposting, it is a crime as well,” one replies, “because the reader cannot distinguish whether you have just invented this or just reposted it. So, it’s the same for us.”
Insulting someone is not a crime, and criminalizing speech is going to put real strain on European-US relationships.
This is Orwellian, and everyone in Europe and the US must reject this lunacy. https://t.co/WZSifyDWMr
The U.S. vice president accused Germany of effectively “criminalizing speech” and urged people across the continent to “reject this lunacy.”
The debate over free speech in Germany has intensified following a series of high-profile prosecutions targeting individuals for online remarks about politicians. A recent case that has drawn widespread attention involves Daniel Kindl, a man from Lower Saxony, who was fined €1,800 for allegedly insulting Green Party MP Janosch Dahmen in an online post. Kindl had responded to Dahmen’s remarks about an alleged attack on Economic Minister Robert Habeck, which was later revealed to be exaggerated. His comment, which roughly translates to “Cry quietly, you rag, this is just the beginning,” was deemed a criminal insult by prosecutors, leading to a penalty order against him.
Kindl has refused to pay the fine and is challenging the case in court. He argues that his statement was meant as a critique of government policies affecting rural citizens, particularly farmers, who have been vocal in their opposition to the government’s environmental regulations.
Kindl’s case is one of many recent examples of Germany’s aggressive enforcement of online speech laws. Other incidents include a pensioner fined €800 for a satirical comment about Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, jokingly suggesting she had hit her head too many times on a trampoline. Another pensioner was arrested for retweeting a meme calling Green Economy Minister Robert Habeck an “idiot,” which was classified as a “politically motivated right-wing crime.” A Bavarian woman was fined €6,000 for calling Baerbock a “hollow brat” on social media, though she was later acquitted after a lengthy legal battle. A civil engineer was sentenced to 30 days in jail for failing to appeal a fine after calling SPD politician Manuela Schwesig a “storyteller.”
As French President Emmanuel Macron convenes European leaders in Paris to discuss military strategies regarding Ukraine, he faces backlash from key European allies for excluding them from the summit.
The gathering, aimed at formulating a unified European stance amid ongoing U.S.-Russia peace discussions, has sparked controversy for leaving out crucial partners in the region.
Czechia was among the first to express its discontent, criticizing Macron’s decision to exclude them from the summit. A Czech government source told French newspaper Le Monde: “In addition to Poland, there is no country that is closer to the war.”
The source further condemned Macron’s “arrogance,” emphasizing that no country hosts more Ukrainian refugees in relative terms.
“No country has more Ukrainian refugees per capita than the Czech Republic, and we manage one of the most effective weapon supply systems,” they added.
Romania also found itself omitted from the summit guest list. Ilie Bolojan, presidential advisor for defense and security, acknowledged the exclusion, stating that despite Romania’s substantial contributions — including overseeing more than 600 kilometers of Ukraine’s border — it had not been invited to Paris “despite his efforts” to get Bucharest in the room.
Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar voiced strong criticism of the summit’s selective invitations, asserting that it undermines European unity. “On a symbolic level, the organizers of the Paris summit show the world that, even within the EU, not all states are treated on an equal footing,” Musar declared. “This does not correspond to the spirit of European integration. This is not the Europe we aspire to, nor a Europe that commands global respect.”
Hungary, known for its non-interventionist stance under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, also condemned the meeting, labeling it a “pro-war” summit. The Hungarian government accused participating European leaders of fueling escalation rather than seeking diplomatic resolutions. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó criticized the summit’s motives, claiming that it gathers “anti-Trump, war-focused, frustrated leaders” who do not want peace.
NEW: 🇭🇺🇪🇺 Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó pulls no punches in his criticism of the "anti-Trump, war-focused" European elite meeting in Paris today, accusing Macron & Co of trying to "prevent peace in Ukraine." pic.twitter.com/9NklLeBsCM
“Those who have continued to throw oil on the fire for three years now meet in Paris,” Szijjártó asserted, denouncing what he called “an erroneous strategy” of continued military escalation.
He reiterated Hungary’s alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision for peace negotiations between the U.S. and Russia, arguing that direct diplomacy remains the best route to ending the conflict.
Around a dozen European leaders are expected to meet at the Elysée Palace later on Monday for talks chaired by Macron.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has accused European leaders of actively working to prevent peace in Ukraine, claiming they are organizing in Paris on Monday to block potential diplomatic solutions to end the war with Russia.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu, Szijjártó stated that with the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, a new global political reality has emerged, favoring Hungary and Kazakhstan.
“We are talking about two countries that have always maintained a pro-peace stance, pursued a patriotic, sovereign political strategy, and prioritized national interests above all else,” Szijjártó said.
He suggested that Hungary and Kazakhstan have been frequent targets of the “international liberal mainstream” for their dissenting positions — particularly Hungary which has often been treated like a social pariah in Brussels for its objections to the EU’s unconditional military and financial support for Kyiv — but now benefit from mutual respect in international relations, particularly after Trump’s decision to end financial support for interventionist policies.
🇭🇺🇪🇺German Green MEP calls for Viktor Orbán's arrest
“It’s time to issue a European arrest warrant," said MEP Daniel Freund, who is obsessed with the Hungarian leader.
Freund rejects Orbán's peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia and claims Orbán is "corrupt." pic.twitter.com/ZaZbTfJicx
Szijjártó noted that ending the war in Ukraine is a shared interest between Hungary and Kazakhstan, as both countries have suffered from its economic and geopolitical consequences. He further expressed optimism in Trump’s “peace party” approach, citing recent high-level communications between the U.S. and Russia as a positive step.
“We welcome the resumption of top-level Russian-American dialogue. We were pleased and relieved that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had an extended conversation. Furthermore, the discussions between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov signal potential progress toward resolving the conflict,” he stated.
As Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday to conduct talks with Russian officials, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to the neighboring United Arab Emirates — he is not expected to be a party in initial talks.
“One phone call does not solve a war as complex as this one, but I can tell you that Donald Trump is the only leader in the world that could potentially begin that process,” Rubio told CBS ahead of the visit.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron convened a special meeting of European leaders in Paris for Monday amid accusations that Europe and Ukraine were being locked out of talks between the White House and the Kremlin.
“The president will bring together the main European countries tomorrow for discussions on European security,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told France Inter radio on Sunday. “Only the Ukrainians can decide to stop fighting,” he added.
Szijjártó claimed, however, that while the U.S. and Russia are exploring diplomatic solutions, European leaders who oppose such efforts are gathering to maintain their current pro-war stance. “Those who have consistently fueled the fire of war are now meeting in Paris. These are the leaders who, for the past three years, have followed a failed strategy, constantly escalating the danger of war,” he declared.
He further alleged that these European leaders had spent years attacking Donald Trump and now aim to obstruct any potential peace agreement. “Today in Paris, the anti-Trump, war-focused, frustrated European leaders are coming together. They are the ones who want to prevent peace in Ukraine,” he said.
Contrary to the European stance, Szijjártó reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to supporting Trump’s peace initiatives and ongoing U.S.-Russia negotiations. “Unlike those gathering in Paris, we stand by Donald Trump’s aspirations, we endorse U.S.-Russian talks, and we support peace in Ukraine.”
As cuts to USAID have shined the spotlight on possible funds received by major media outlets such as Politico, BBC, and New York Times, it seemed a good time to take a look back at some of the left-liberal media attacks on Hungary, the false narratives pushed by the West, and how stupid they often made Orbán-haters look.
BBC has always been a serial offender in terms of trying to demonize Hungary.
Back in 2022, Stephen Sakur on BBC’s HARDtalk took on Hungarian FM Péter Szijjártó, this time to go after Hungary’s child protection law that protects children from gender ideology and gay education in schools.
“Look, the education regarding sexual orientation can definitely take place by professional staff, by authorized staff. What we ban is that activists of certain NGOs enter the schools and kindergartens and talk to our children without the permission and knowledge of (parents) about sexual orientation,” Szijjártó states.
Hungary’s Child Protection Act was in response to liberal groups seeking to introduce not only sex ed in primary grades but also the idea of trans surgeries and normalizing homosexuality, all of which the EU actively supports and other European countries have openly encouraged. Hungarian opposition and its law has led to Hungary being refused EU funds it is due from Brussels.
“No NGO, no NGO knows my kids, my sons better than I do. And I definitely stick to my right to conduct their education regarding sexual orientation and not an NGO in the school or in the kindergarten,” Szijjártó insists.
Another key topic liberal-funded outlets take aim at Hungary over is migration. As EU member states have recently been tightening their borders due to the spiraling problems with integration, education, and massive crime, Hungary was slammed with a €200 million fine, plus €1 million/day for having successfully protected its borders.
CNN’s Christiane Amanpour tried, as have many others, to justify the EU’s agenda and attacks on Hungary in an interview with FM Szijjártó a few years back. However, in asking what many considered a nonsensical question about Hungary not “actually having an immigration problem,” or, for that matter a crime or terrorism problem (see clip below), she only reinforced the very argument PM Orbán has continuously made, with Szijjártó asserting that, no, we don’t because we have rejected the policies you want to force on us.
For the 10th anniversary of Péter Szijjártó being Hungary's minister of foreign affairs and trade, we thought we'd post this clip of the FM reminding @CNN's @amanpour why Hungary does not have migrant crime or terrorism like other EU member states. pic.twitter.com/yCeJfyzyL3
Yet another hot topic for Orbán-haters is the fact that he has been elected democratically multiple times.
Mainstream media routinely questions the legitimacy of Hungarian elections simply because of his conservative, anti-migration, pro-family agenda.
Politico has had Orbán in its crosshairs for years, with this famous headline back in 2015: “Europe’s new dictator — Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is making good on his promise to build an ‘illiberal state.’”
In a 2018 interview on BBC, Trump adviser Steve Bannon called out the faux outrage over the mandate of what was a democratically elected government. Slamming Western press for their “meltdown” over Orbán, Bannon said:
“The globalization project that you promoted was wrong, okay? It didn’t work. It’s time to embrace that. And when people in Hungary or in the Czech Republic or in Italy want to take their country back and want to get their sovereignty back and want to get their citizens back, it’s not the end of the world.”
Home to the CEE’s largest Jewish population, the Hungarian government under Orbán has also funded multiple initiatives to revive Jewish life and culture.
But again, Western media has striven to make Orbán out to be a Nazi.
Secretary of State for International Communication Zoltán Kovács called Politico out on X back in 2020 for claiming thousands of Jews were showing up at the American border due to having to flee persecution in Hungary.
Still no response. Let’s try one more time: Dear @jherrerx: In the article cited below, published on @politico, you report “Jewish people fleeing persecution in Hungary” that “thousands" of them have shown up at the southern border of the US. What is your basis for that claim? https://t.co/yGzcJ6hpt2
Kovács then took to his blog to talk about the “correction” Politico finally came up with: “CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article inaccurately implied that thousands of Hungarians are arriving at the southern U.S. border. It has been updated accordingly.”
“POLITICO published something about Hungary that was patently untrue. When I called them on it and asked for a chance to reply, they ignored my request and attempted to cover it up with a disingenuous “correction”.
“The updated version still claims that Hungarians are among the thousands of Eastern Europeans who have fled to the US southern border,” he noted.
The truth is that Jews in Hungary are safer than most any other place in Europe, with both Germany and Czechia high on the list of countries where anti-Semitism is on the rise.
Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén has said Hungary is witnessing a Jewish renaissance following significant government support to the country’s Jewish organizations.
The Jewish News Syndicate even ran a story on Jewish life in Hungary in 2023 titled “Hungary’s Jewish renaissance — Reopened synagogues give Hungary’s Jews a chance to connect to their Jewishness, says Chabad Rabbi Shlomo Köves.”
The article noted a slew of synagogues finally reopening, with the rabbi in the headline pointing out that Jews in Budapest feel safe, and they have Orbán to thank for that — not just due to government funding seeking to revitalize Jewish life but due to the very immigration policies the liberal West and Brussels continuously attack.
“Köves credits Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s policies for the situation; In 2015, Orbán cracked down on Muslim immigration. ‘Those policies actually were a great advantage for the Jewish community because there’s no Muslim community in Hungary, and therefore, there are no Muslim extremists,’ he said,” we read in the article.
In the spring of 2024, Semjén met with Jewish and WJC leaders to discuss how to collaborate further in the future. WJC Executive Vice President Maram Stern also met with Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs János Bóka.
Later that year, WJC featured their celebration of Chanukah in Budapest, with Bóka reaffirming Hungary’s commitment to continuing its fight against anti-Semitism and “protecting Europe’s Jewish heritage.”
“Fighting anti-Semitism will be one of the priorities of the Hungarian EU presidency. We can fight antisemitism effectively by supporting and raising awareness of Jewish life in Europe and by protecting Europe’s Jewish heritage.
“In Hungary, Jewish life and culture have deep roots, are diverse, develop organically and are an integral part of our Hungarian identity. We want to set an example for Europe,” he said.
And then there are the hundreds of Jewish Ukrainian refugees being housed at Lake Balaton…
The New York Times has also repeatedly pandered to the anti-Orbán crowd. In 2018, it ran a 2,500-word article on the front page entitled “As West Fears the Rise of Autocrats, Hungary Shows What’s Possible.” And once, again, Hungary was forced to point out the obvious.
“Dear New York Times: Hungarians are not stupid,” Zoltán Kovács entitled his response, pointing out that Western media has never been able to offer up proof of rigged elections and rely solely on staunch critics of the government for their information.
“I get it that a journalist has to talk to critics, but talking only to critics is journalistic malpractice. And when they do, the result is unsurprisingly a lopsided report that’s not becoming of the newspaper of record that the NYT once was,” he wrote.
Addressing why Hungarians perhaps vote for Fidesz, Kovács lamented the half-truths and outright lies regurgitated by Western press, as well as the ommissions: low unemployment, loan relief, the country’s restored credit rating, higher marriage rate — not to mention Hungarians’ positive opinion about the country’s strict migration policy, to name a few.
“If Prime Minister Viktor Orbán enjoys such strong popular support (and the opposition such dismal support) that he is predicted to win a third consecutive term, why is that?” Kovács asked before suggesting that media “talk to real people.”
Perhaps the loudest and most recent demonization campaign against Orbán has been over his pursuit of peace in Ukraine. For this, Western press has labeled him “Putin’s puppet,” “Putin’s ally,” and plainly stated he can no longer be trusted as a NATO ally.
The New York Times claimed Orbán was no longer a reliable NATO ally. “Orban Endangers Hungary’s Status as an Ally,” the paper quotes the then ambassador, David Pressman, who made it his personal agenda to attack Orbán at any and every turn.
This was funny, given Hungary has long stationed NATO troops. And it is even more funny as over the past few years, the U.S. and Hungary have had a series of agreements for U.S. forces to use Hungarian air bases, part of an original Defense Cooperation Agreement made by the two countries in 2019.
Politico again to an active role on this front. “Orbán has long been Putin’s most reliable ally in the EU, hampering efforts to provide support to Kyiv and echoing Moscow’s talking points around its full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” it wrote after Orbán had the nerve to meet Putin in person in his pursuit for peace.
The Times went blatant: “Time to evict Viktor Orban, Putin’s EU puppet — The illiberal Hungarian leader’s cosiness with Russia poses a grave threat to European Unity.”
Again, the irony is hilarious. Aside from other European leaders apparently being welcome, even expected, to hold in-person meetings or phone calls with Putin, there is the reality of continued energy dependence on Moscow. The only difference is that Orbán has been clear that despite actively diversifying Hungary’s resources, as well as upgrading the infrastructure as required for new suppliers of gas and oil, it has needed time — and simply still needs Russian gas.
Apparently, Hungary is not the only one. Slovakia has also been open about its reliance; Austria, not so much.
As Remix reported last August, one expert has pointed out what many don’t want to admit: While the EU and the G7 countries have banned Russian crude oil imports, European countries have no problem purchasing large quantities of oil from Turkey, with apparently no regard to its country of origin.
Alas, Orbán has remained the sole punching bag. A Foreign Policy piece last summer hit with the title: “How Orban Became Putin’s Pawn — Among all of Russia’s useful idiots, few have sought to make themselves more useful than the Hungarian prime minister.”
Quoted in the article is Peter Kreko, who works at George Soros’ CEU Democracy Institute as “a social psychologist and a disinformation expert.”
“Hungary is the extension of Russian foreign policy. At the moment, Orbán is [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s most useful idiot,” he says.
The article notes Kreko works at the “nonprofit, nonpartisan,” DC-based Center for European Policy Analysis, which is partially funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), known for “promoting democracy” around the world.
Kreko is also the director of Political Capital, another Soros OSF project, and head of the EC-funded hub against disinformation (HDMO-Lakmusz). Both HDMO-Lakmusz and Political Capital receive EU funding for their very vocal anti-Orbán agenda.
All this hate and constant media attacks stem from Orbán wanting to ensure gas supplies for his country (and many other countries continue to benefit from indirect Russian gas shipments) and stop the death and destruction in Ukraine.
However, perhaps Orbán’s most fatal sin has been his unwavering trust in Donald Trump to bring peace. In a video posted in 2022, he calls out former President Biden for “going too far” by calling Putin “a mass murderer” and “war criminal” who “must be overthrown.” He then said simply that the “brutal” truth is that only Trump can bring peace.
With Donald Trump now in the White House, will Hungary see a reprieve from the constant attacks? Many think so, and, in fact, there have been signs this will happen, namely Trump taking aim at U.S. funds going to fund organizations and outlets focused (shall we say obsessed?) on demonizing and ousting Orbán.
This has been music to the Hungarian government’s ears. And Orbán knows American taxpayers are happy too.
“A massive scandal has erupted in America, as the average American taxpayer is now confronted with the reality that their tax dollars, paid in the U.S., have been spent by the Liberal Democrat government on causes that they do not support at all, at home or internationally. Ultimately, what has happened is that the liberal global elite used the U.S. budget and government to finance its financial and ideological goals worldwide using with American taxpayers’ money.”
Orbán goes on to say that this was framed as “aid” but was really a “tool of political influence.”
What have we learned about the work of USAID thanks to President @realDonaldTrump?
The globalist liberal elite used US taxpayers’ money to force their own progressive political agenda down the throats of people around the world.
Ukraine says it has now lost two-thirds of the territory it occupied in the Russian region of Kursk, giving it a “security zone” of 500 square kilometers on Russian territory, Ukrainian Chief of General Staff Oleksandr Syrskyj said on Facebook.
Ukraine had previously said it controlled some 1,400 square kilometers in Kursk after the offensive it launched in August, , as reported by Die Welt.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the occupied territory in Kursk serves as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Russia. Now, that chip has been largely whittled away. Nevertheless, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has made it clear they have no interest in such an exchange, saying, “That is impossible.”
As for Russia, it previously took over the Crimean peninsula in 2014, while it conquered parts of the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhia regions in 2022.
The issue of territorial exchange will be a major focus point as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes forward with peace negotiations. Having now spoken to Putin on the phone, he says he knows that Putin is open to negotiations. Details on a peace deal have not been laid out, but it has been widely discussed that Ukraine will not be allowed to enter NATO and the U.S. is set on major rare earth mineral and other resource concessions from Ukraine as payback for the billions sent for its defense against Russia.
Retired Russian Armed Forces Intelligence Colonel Anatoly Matviychuk has come out swinging in the lead-up to the Munich Security Conference, saying the U.S. has compromising information on Zelensky that will force him to compromise, namely, that he has possibly embezzled large amounts of money from the funds sent to Ukraine for its defense against Russia.
In an interview with MK, the retired colonel said that President Trump “has long had a grudge against Zelensky,” since the head of the Kyiv regime supported his persecution and passed on compromising information about him to the previous U.S. administration under Biden.
“Today, Trump is skillfully dealing with everyone who once spoke out against him,” Matviychuk noted. “Among them are Zelensky and Yermak. I am sure that Trump has more than enough dirt on them.”
These may have to do with the embezzlement of money. “It is not surprising that it has now become clear that about 100 billion dollars have sunk into oblivion,” the intelligence officer noted. “I believe that in fact the U.S. knows very well where these billions ended up…”
Matviychuk claims the money ended up in Zelensky’s Spanish, Italian and British real estate. However, he also went after Zelensky’s wife.
“In addition, the million-dollar expenses of the First Lady of Ukraine, Elena Zelenskaya, in European boutiques have been well calculated,” the expert added.
Matviychuk added that Zelensky has also opened himself up to accusations of prolonging the conflict and numerous war crimes.
This is not the first time someone has claimed Zelensky has enriched himself from U.S. taxpayer money sent for his country’s defense against Russia.
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project found that Zelenskyy and his partners owned a network of offshore companies dating back to 2012 in the British Virgin Islands, Cyprus and Belize.
The documents also revealed that before Zelenskyy became president in 2019, he gave his stake in an offshore company to a business partner but made an arrangement that the offshore company would continue paying dividends to a company Zelenskyy’s wife owned, the reporting project said.
In response, USA Today offered up its own “fact check,” stating: “The Pandora Papers – secret records obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists – highlight information about Zelenskyy’s overseas dealings. However, the papers don’t reveal the exact amount Zelenskyy or his wife have in overseas accounts. Sullivan said none of the assets claimed in the social media post were in the papers.”
USA Today also cites a 2022 Forbes piece that estimated Zelensky’s real estate portfolio at some $4 million after reports that he purchased his parents an $8 million mansion — although USA Today said the claims about an $8 million mansion were false. Nor did the magazine find any proof to back up claims that Zelensky owned three private jets or five luxury yachts. The original Instagram post targeted by USA Today reportedly stating that Zelenky owned “a 35 million dollar home in Florida and has $1.2 billion in an overseas bank account” is no longer available.
Despite no hard evidence of embezzlement, allegations have continued non-stop, with many saying that now that Donald Trump is in office, a real audit will uncover the truth.
Tucker Carlson headlined a recent episode of his podcast by claiming “Ukrainian military is selling American weapons systems on the black market, including to drug cartels on the (American) border.” His guest U.S. Col. Daniel Davis said that Zelensky had even recently made a point of denying such allegations, and “the media just reports what he says.” The colonel then added that this has been “an open secret for almost the duration of (the war).”
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he will impose 25 percent tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, as well as additional tariffs on several countries.
Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita writes about nervous movements in Brussels, which is preparing for a response if President Trump decides to go to a trade war with the EU.
“The Polish presidency organized an urgent teleconference of EU ministers on Wednesday afternoon regarding the American announcements of a trade war. No decision has come into effect yet, so there can be no counter-decision from the EU, but in the face of increasingly decisive threats from the U.S. directed by President Trump, Europe must show unity,” one source told Rzeczpospolita.
American tariffs would be a serious blow to EU countries. The EU as a whole exports around €6 billion of steel and aluminum to the US annually, €3 billion for each of these raw materials.
Furthermore, when it comes to automobiles, the EU’s import duties are clearly unfair, with the EU hitting the U.S. with 10 percent duties on U.S.-made cars, while the U.S. rate is only 2.5 percent. Trump has long pointed to this imbalance. In addition, the EU charges VAT, which Washington treats as an additional fee.
The EU is arguing it cannot reduce its tariffs on the U.S. to 2.5 percent because then it would automatically (in accordance with the rules of the most favored nation clause) also have to reduce tariffs on car imports from other member states of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including China. And it is already in serious dispute with them when it comes to electric cars subsidized by Beijing.
With vehicles, the stakes are incredible for the EU compared, as the auto industry accounts for €65 billion in exports to the U.S., with 74 percent of the 920,000 cars sold in the U.S. produced by the three biggest German car manufacturers, Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes. Car sales have fallen in Europe and sales are also shrinking in China, which means that the German car manufacturers cannot afford to lose the U.S. market either. Behind the scenes, there is heavy lobbying from the U.S. to avoid a trade war.
“We are deeply concerned about the possible imposition of tariffs by the United States. Instead of tit-for-tat tariffs, the EU and the U.S. should work together to reach a grand agreement to avoid a potential trade conflict,” said Sigrid de Vries, secretary general of ACEA, the EU’s automotive industry federation.
Brussels argues that starting a trade war is not in the interests of the U.S.
“The EU sees no justification for imposing tariffs on our exports, which are counterproductive. Tariffs are taxes, bad for businesses, even worse for consumers and harmful to the global trading system,” said Maros Sefcovic, EU trade commissioner.
The EU indicates that it will reduce the trade deficit with the U.S. by boosting purchases of liquified natural gas (LNG), which the EU needs anyway, and American weapons.
However, in the event that Trump slaps the EU with tariffs, there are countermeasures being prepared, including retaliatory tariffs. This already occurred during the previous trade war with Europe under the previous Trump administration, including products produced in states where Trump had substantial support, such as bourbon from Kentucky, Harley Davidson motorcycles from Wisconsin, and orange juice from Florida.
Since the last trade skirmish with Trump, the EU has also gained other ways to harass American producers. Since December 2023, it has had an instrument against economic coercion (ACI), which allows it to impose tariffs, restrictions on trade in services and trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, as well as restrictions on access to foreign direct investment or public procurement. It can also attack technology companies that are dear to Trump’s heart. The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA) contain a wide range of measures to influence large internet platforms, which could hit companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta.
At the same time, there are worries that a trade war could quickly spiral, which could wreak economic havoc on both sides of the Atlantic.
U.S. President Donald Trump took to his social media site Truth Social to announce he had spoken with Putin. “I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia,” he said, adding that they had discussed Ukraine as well as other topics, including the MIddle East, AI, and “the power of the Dollar.”
Focusing on his and Putin’s dedication to “common sense,” Trump said the two had “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately,” adding that he would be calling Zelensky to brief him on their call.
Emphasizing the need to stop the death and destruction, Trump said: “Millions of people have died in a War that would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost!”
He also thanked Putin for his “time and effort” as well as for releasing Marc Fogel, whom he received personally at the White House.
Perhaps most notably regarding future U.S.-Russian relations, Trump noted that they also “talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that this was the first meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States in three years and that Vladimir Putin also invited Donald Trump to Moscow for further discussions.
The end of the war in Ukraine is perhaps most critical to those countries neighboring Ukraine, with politicians in those countries greeting the news of a possible quick end with enthusiasm.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, an active Trump-critic, posted only, “All we need is peace. A JUST PEACE. Ukraine, Europe and the United States should work on this together. TOGETHER.”
Meanwhile, Fidesz MEP Andrász László had a negative take, commenting on the lack of European leadership; he also noted the absence of the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, on the call.
“President Trump spoke with President Putin and they agreed to inform President Zelensky only afterwards,” he posted on X, adding that as he had predicted would be the case, no one from Europe was there to decide Europe’s future.
“Most Western powers have weak and irrelevant leaders. Things will get a lot worse in Europe before they get any better,” he said.
🇺🇸🇷🇺🇺🇦 President Trump spoke with President Putin and they agreed to inform President Zelenskyy only afterwards.
🇪🇺Brussels and the EU was not even mentioned. Germany, France? Ditto.
I've been saying for a very long time now: when the future of Europe will be decided, European…
Trump did in fact have a call with Zelensky afterward, which the Ukrainian president also posted about on X. “I had a meaningful conversation with POTUS. We long talked about opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together at the team level,” he wrote.
Notably, Trump sent Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for an in-person meeting with Zelensky before their phone call. It has long been suggested that Trump has no intention of allowing Ukraine to become a member of NATO, but more importantly, he has been vocal about wanting Ukraine to pay the United States back in some way, namely, via access to Ukraine’s vast natural resources, which Zelensky directly mentioned in his post as well.
“We also spoke about my discussion with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the preparation of a new document on security, economic cooperation, and resource partnership.” Bessent himself has, according to Reuters, called granting America access to its rare earth minerals a “security shield” for Ukraine.
“No one wants peace more than Ukraine. Together with the U.S., we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace. As President Trump said, let’s get it done,” Zelensky wrote.
In another post regarding his meeting with Bessent, Zelensky wrote: “We received the U.S. vision for deepening our cooperation.”
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico wrote to U.S. President Donald Trump’s close advisor, Elon Musk, who tasked his DOGE with rooting out corruption and waste in the U.S. government. Fico has asked for clarity on exactly what funds the USAID sent to Slovakia, requesting a face-to-face with the X CEO as the past operation of USAID is “extremely serious for the internal affairs of the Slovak Republic.”
Dear Friends, The information that the administration of the new US President is preparing to permanently abolish the USAID agency, designated to deliver foreign aid is extremely serious for the internal affairs of the Slovak Republic. I have therefore contacted Mr @elonmusk, the… pic.twitter.com/tSr0dIBdww
The Slovak prime minister also wants to discuss ways in which the two countries, Slovakia and the United States, can cooperate. As of now, Musk has given no public reply.
A Greek MEP, Emmanouil Fragkos, of the conservative Greek Solution party, also wants to know what money the U.S. has sent to NGOs in Greece, especially for luxury migrant accommodations.
Greek MP @e_fragkos is requesting @DOGE and Elon Musk to inform them about US funds to Greek NGOs reserving luxury hotels for illegal migrants.
While many liberal NGOs and governments were enthusiastic cheerleaders of U.S. funding and intervening in overseas affairs, their tune has definitely changed. However, with the repeated requests for transparency on the level of meddling U.S. entities such as USAID practiced and the desire for countries to root out American corruption in their own spheres, Elon Musk’s DOGE may take on an entirely different — and far wider — scope. And for good reason.
Patryk Jaki, Vice-president of Poland’s conservative PiS party and leader of the European Conservatives in the European Parliament, is now facing prison for liking a post.
“I faced three years in prison, now in a special trial in Poland because I simply pushed a like on X platform in the movie which described the real scenes of violence of migrants,“ reads a post on his ordeal from active X contributor Mario Nawfal.
🇪🇺🇵🇱 PATRYK JAKI: I FACE THREE YEARS IN PRISON FOR JUST LIKING A POST
Leader of the European Conservatives in the European Parliament and Vice-president of the PiS party, Patryk Jaki:
Mike Benz, a security expert who formerly worked in the U.S. State Department, has been a primary source on how the USAID works as an arm of the CIA to enact programs and influence on the ground that would otherwise not be approved by Congress or would be best to fly under the radar as “humanitarian aid.”
‘USAID’s partner and operations arm, NED, has been specifically demanding Donald Tusk’s government in Poland ‘MUST’ find ways to arrest high-ranking members of the PiS party in order to ‘stamp out populism,’” Benz wrote on X yesterday.
NED, the National Endowment for Democracy, is well known for its “promotion of democracy” all over the world. Its board is full of former and present members of Congress, former ambassadors, and other Beltway insiders. It is also heavily criticized for essentially foreign election interference around the globe, even as far away as India and Bangladesh, as recently profiled by Benz.
As Patryk Jaki faces prison and more and more leaders abroad get wise to the power the U.S. has wielded in their own backyards to drive their desired agenda, we will most likely see increased pressure on Musk and Trump and DOGE to make rooting out corruption and waste a global cause.
After all, DOGE’s reach will inevitably have to extend as far as that of USAID, NED, and all the other American-led operations that flew under the radar, spending U.S. taxpayer money on interfering in elections in India and stamping out populists in Poland to Sesame Street in Iraq and sex changes in Guatemala.
In the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump announcing that tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum will increase by 25 percent, Poland had some harsh words.
Trump has made clear that the U.S. will impose the same level of tariffs imposed on American products, stating, “Very simply, it’s if they charge us, we charge them.”
Janusz Lewandowski, MEP of the Civic Platform (PO), commented on the matter in an interview with RMF FM, as cited by Do Rzeczy.
“There has been a team in the European Commission preparing retaliation for Trump’s tariffs for a long time. However, we do not know whether this is his negotiating position or whether it will come into effect,” said the former EU commissioner.
Adding that the EU “has learned to live with Trump,” he said there are no winners in a trade war, and Brussels is counting on easing the conflict.
“We know that Trump did not win previous tariff wars and lives in nostalgia from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when the U.S. lived off tariffs. We are ready for war, but we do not want it. We need a transatlantic bond in the face of real threats. In the case of the U.S., these are Chinese and Russian threats, in ours, Putin’s imperialism, which may not stop in Ukraine,” said Lewandowski.
“We got to know Trump during his previous term. He turns some words into actions, others not,” the MEP continued, noting that possible retaliation was being taken seriously. However, if the United States is willing to negotiate, other routes are possible, he said, such as increasing imports of liquefied gas from the U.S.
“We need this gas since we gave up on Russian gas. We are able to withstand this war, but why do we need it? Trade wars impoverish both sides,” said Lewandowski.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has also commented on Trump’s announcement, saying that he was not surprised.
“Polish aluminum exports to the United States amount to 411 tons, while to other countries, 264,000 tons,” he said, adding, “We are not panicking, but we are preparing well for the possible consequences of higher tariffs.”
Tusk also announced representatives of EU countries will be discussing the matter today to reach a common position.
“I believe that as Poland, as the EU, we should respond in a balanced way. It is worth doing everything to avoid unnecessary trade and customs wars because this brings negative consequences for producers and consumers,” he said, noting that the EU must “act in solidarity.”
Among the organizations Trump has cut off from U. S. foreign funding is Poland’s Feminoteka
“Over 250,000 złoty (€60,000) – that’s how much money we currently have frozen due to the decision of the president of the United States,” reads a post from the group on Facebook, as quoted by Do Rzeczy.
“These are funds that were planned to be used for professional support for women who have experienced sexual violence. Both Polish women and migrants,” the post continues.
At risk, the group claims, are its activities related to “running Femka: the only helpline in Poland for women after rape” as well as “training for employees who in their professional activity may have contact with people who experience sexual violence or violence in intimate relationships.”
Although the post focuses on sexual violence against women and “saving lives,” it is clear that the group also promotes trans and LGB ideologies.
“The targets are organizations whose work covers the areas of abortion, family planning, diversity, equality, integration, surgeries for transgender people or other non-life-saving assistance (it is worth emphasizing that most of the activities listed here contribute to saving lives),” reads Feminoteka’s Facebook post.
Joanna Gzyra-Iskandar, spokesperson for Feminoteka, did not miss the chance to personally lash out at Trump: “Donald Trump has been president for only two weeks, and he has already signed one document after another. The problem is that his one signature determines what happens on the other side of the world and affects the fact that women who have experienced sexual violence may not receive help. Of course, we are doing everything to prevent such a situation. At the moment, everything is working stably and efficiently, but we have to think about our financial situation.”
“If anyone has been following what Donald Trump said even a little as a candidate for president of the United States, they shouldn’t be surprised. This is part of the conservative backlash that we can see in various places around the world. It’s about moving away from the model of promoting equality, supporting women’s and minority rights. And doing it in an aggressive way.
“It’s monstrous that a man who is guided by such anti-values is sitting in the chair of the leader of the USA,” Gzyra-Iskandar said.
It is unfortunate that so many around the world have come to rely on American funds and of course sexual violence against women is an issue on a global scale. However, let’s also address the elephant in the room: Why in the world would this group not receive needed funding from their own country, their own government, or even private parties in Poland? Why is it up to the United States to make sure any such aid is received?
It is also worth noting the partisan nature of her attack against Trump. As the head of this Polish group that received American taxpayers money, there is no evidence she ever thanked U.S. taxpayers for their years of support. Instead, she attacks the leader of a country not her own, calling him “monstrous,” saying he is “guided by anti-values,” and claiming he is unfit to be president. This is not usually the way you speak to the country that has been bankrolling your operations.
A quick visit to Feminoteka’s website gives us the short bio for “feminist” Joanna Gzyra-Iskandar, dreadlocked and proudly posing with a Pride flag. “As an activist, she works in the areas of combating gender-based violence, access to safe abortion and LGBTQ+ rights,” we read.
Oddly, the site presently seems to have zero reference to abortion or trans/gay topics, although it is perhaps buried somewhere. A shop linked to their site selling bath products and creams features text reading: “Feminoteka has been supporting women after violence since 2005. We provide free legal and psychological advice, conduct therapy, and support them financially. (…) Buy our products and leave a trace of goodness.”
Their post on Facebook clarified they receive zero funding from the Polish government, which is currently run by left-liberals who support abortion rights, thus their calls for people to contribute given U.S. aid has been cut off. Good for them, and good luck.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could meet as early as February or March, with two possible locations for talks being Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, reports Do Rzeczy, citing Reuters sources.
Other reports claim nothing has been finalized, and the Kremlin has asked people “to be patient.”
Original reports out of Reuters quoted Leonid Slutsky, head of the State Duma’s Foreign Affairs Committee, which were reported by Russian media.
Meanwhile, the RIA Novosti agency has said that preparations for the US-Russian summit are currently at an “advanced stage.”
Trump announced a week ago that he would talk to Putin in the near future and that the two would “do something significant.” However, the president of the United States did not provide any details and did not answer the question of whether he had already spoken to the Russian leader.
Both Trump and Putin maintain friendly relations with both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, but neither country would comment on whether they would be playing host. Some Russian diplomats and intelligence officials are concerned about the close military and security ties the two countries have with the United States.
As to an eventual peace plan, points allegedly being tabled by Trump’s team were leaked by Ukrainian portal Strana and reviewed by Portolio.hu. According to these, Zelensky must revoke the decree prohibiting Ukraine from negotiating with Putin. Then, in February or early March, there would be diplomatic coordination between Trump, Zelensky, and Putin to negotiate the main points of a peace treaty.
The date for a final ceasefire is said to be Easter, April 20. Until then, Trump reportedly plans to continue arms shipments to Ukraine. However, Kyiv must then withdraw from the frontlines, as well as from Kursk Oblast. All prisoners of war must be released by both sides.
An international peace conference would take place at the end of April, involving China, European countries, and third-world countries. With a peace treaty in place by early May, Ukraine must abolish martial law and mobilization, followed by presidential elections in August and parliamentary and local elections in October.
The points of Trump’s alleged peace treaty proposal, as cited by Portfolio based on the unconfirmed report out of Strana, are as follows:
– Ukraine cannot join NATO, and it must pledge neutrality.
– Ukraine will become an EU member by 2030, and the Union will participate in the reconstruction of the country.
– Ukraine will not reduce the size of its military, and America will continue to support its modernization.
– Ukraine will not attempt to regain lost regions by military or diplomatic means. This does not require them to recognize the sovereignty of the Russian Federation over them.
– Some Western sanctions against Russia would be lifted immediately, while others would be lifted more slowly, over three years. Instead of sanctions, tariffs would be imposed on certain Russian products.
– Parties that speak Russian and advocate for peaceful coexistence with Russia can run in the Ukrainian elections.
– Measures against the use of the Russian language must be abolished in Ukraine.
– The question of whether there will be European peacekeepers on Ukrainian territory will require further consultation. Kyiv says this is absolutely necessary, but Russia is firmly opposed to it.
General Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump’s chief negotiator on Ukraine, said on Friday that no plan to end the war has been finalized and that discussions are currently underway only with “European leaders.”
Portfolio notes Strana may have obtained a proposal made during these discussions; it thus may very well be preliminary talking points.
Viktor Orbán defended Hungary’s extra pension payment and other programs for the elderly on Kossuth Radio this morning, saying: “There are two groups that the civil, national government needs to pay attention to, one is children and the other is pensioners,” adding that when possible, they seek to help these groups.
Anticipating a strong 2025, Orbán is looking forward to even greater opportunities to do so. “When there is a problem, one immediately thinks of one’s children and parents, which is probably why the focus of the government’s measures is usually on children and pensioners,” he said.
“Respect and recognition motivate the government, towards those to whom we can thank that we are here now. When there is an economic opportunity, it is a natural idea to expand towards pensioners,” the prime minister added.
“They also have houses, they can modernize them, sell them,” the prime minister said about the government providing funds for home renovation to pensioners living in towns with fewer than 5,000 residents. The program offers up to HUF 6 million, half as a government grant and half as a loan, and has impacted 600,000 people.
Regarding the 13th-month pension, which had been taken away during the Gyurcsány era, Orbán said: “It is difficult to understand why this has become a political issue.”
“The left is trying to defend that it was right to take this away, and Brussels has entered the debate, where economic regulations are formulated, first as recommendations, and then they become binding rules, becoming a prerequisite for obtaining financial resources,” the prime minister continued, adding that in his opinion, Brussels would rather give this money “to speculators and banks” than to citizens in need.
“The Hungarian government is resisting this, we have won the battle so far, the 13th-month pension will soon arrive to pensioners, use it as you please,” he assured listeners.
Viktor Orbán also spoke about the termination of the USAID program, noting that an economic agreement of considerable size is in the works. “The Democrats have destroyed economic relations, which need to be repaired, which is why the big action plan is being developed,” he said, adding that Chinese investments in Hungary surpassed that of Americans as well under Biden.
“Skeletons are falling out of the closet of the previous Democratic government; the liberal-global elite wanted to finance its goals around the world with the Americans, which was presented as aid but was used as a political tool,” Orbán said. He noted that many recipients are also on Soros’ payroll, and funded by Brussels as well, meaning groups behind “community-destroying, anti-family, pro-migration activities” received plenty of money.
“People and organizations paid from abroad want to overthrow the government, for example, the newspaper Politico received money from everywhere. They constantly attacked our country for preventing the spread of gender madness, for rejecting migration and for our position in the Russian-Ukrainian war,” the prime minister listed.
He also addressed the rise of Péter Magyar as simply the next opposition politician being promoted. “But this has failed. The cleansing wind of the Trump tornado is sweeping through, and the facts are coming to light,” Orbán said.
He joked that the left will have to come up with new conspiracy theories to accuse him of, as the Soros plan, continuously denied by the left, has definitely worked, with 1 million migrants arriving in Europe each year, and everyone who supported it receiving money.
“They must be swept out, the entire Soros network must be dismantled. We cannot accept money from abroad for political purposes and we will enforce this,” he emphasized, noting that large sums have been funneled into Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia to topple governments and bring to power those who will obey.
Of course, now, under the Trump administration in the U.S., the governments in both America and Hungary “accept sovereignty as the greatest value.”
The EU migration pact is still a thorn in the side of Hungary, and Orbán reiterated that force must be used to fight this: “You must rebel.”
He added that the €1 million/day fine is still better than letting in migrants and dealing with that nightmare. He also added that more and more countries are now also rebelling — the Poles, the Germans and the Italians.
Regarding an effort to reform their migration policy being ultimately voted down in Germany, Orbán said the upcoming election will hopefully fix that problem, with the conservative, anti-migration AfD continuously rising in the polls.
U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated businessman Tom Rose, former publisher of the Jerusalem Post and senior advisor to former Vice President Mike Pence, as the new American ambassador to Poland.
“Thomas is a highly respected businessman and commentator, who had a successful radio show on Sirius XM for nearly a decade, and served as publisher and CEO of The Jerusalem Post. He will make sure our interests are represented in Poland, and always put America first,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
I am deeply honored and profoundly humbled to be asked by our history making @POTUS to serve as Ambassador to Poland. If confirmed, I will spend each and every day doing my very best to promote, defend, and advance the interests of the United States of America and our fabulous… https://t.co/J1ixuAr1fd
Rose was a guest on wPOLSCE24 TV on election day and visited Warsaw at the invitation of MEP Adam Bielan for “ECR Study Days” in December. Rose posted about meeting Polish President Duda in December as well:
“What an honor it was for me to meet America’s greatest friend in Europe, Polish President Andrzej Duda.”
Back in 2019, Rose publicly defended Poland and its heroism during World War II on X after reporter Andrea Mitchell referred to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 as a revolt against Poles and Nazis.
Mitchell apologized after serious backlash, including from the World Jewish Congress, with Rose reposting her correction and clarifying: “Not only was Polish government ‘not involved’ in crushing the Warsaw Ghetto uprising — the Polish Government, refusing to surrender to Hitler, fled to London where it joined w/Allies to kept up the fight to liberate Poland and all occupied Europe from Nazi hell.”
Not only was Polish government “not involved” in crushing the Warsaw Ghetto uprising — the Polish Government, refusing to surrender to Hitler, fled to London where it joined w/Allies to kept up the fight to liberate Poland and all occupied Europe from Nazi hell. https://t.co/N9LeplcLRV
According to the wPolityce news portal, Rose has also mocked the European left’s installation of Donald Tusk as Polish PM to “restore the rule of law” in Poland.
After a meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder in New York, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó took to Facebook to announce that the United Nations must make a serious shift in how it functions.
His post reads as follows:
The UN is facing serious challenges, and its leaders must finally move out of their comfort zone if they want to save the organization as the last truly universal, inclusive institution for East-West dialogue, as we discussed with Guy Ryder, UN under-secretary-general for policy.
Donald Trump’s criticisms are justified, the UN is not working effectively today, it is often hampered by the liberal mainstream and often comes down on the heads of member states rather than helping them. But the situation can be remedied: eliminate duplication, streamline the organization, cut unnecessary costs and focus on real global challenges.
It is in Hungary’s interest that the UN survives and functions effectively, and we are ready to participate in the joint work for a real and rapid reform of the UN.
Budapest has just proved that decentralization of UN operations is the right direction, that many UN institutions are operating effectively in Budapest, and that we are ready to host more. But UN leaders cannot sit in their ivory tower in New York; change is really needed now. If they do not understand this, they could endanger this otherwise great international organization.
Despite often encountering resistance in global affairs, with the return of U.S. President Donald Trump, Hungary and its leader, PM Viktor Orbán, are now at the forefront of dialogues to enact much-needed changes in the architecture of institutions such as the UN and the EU. The country is also very much at the center of the dismantling of agencies such as the USAID. Millions of dollars in U.S. taxpayer money was funneled to leftist, anti-Orbán media and projects, which at times, openly declared their intention of ousting Orbán and his party, Fidesz, from power.
Other institutions active on the ground in Hungary include Amnesty International and Transparency International, to name just two.
And yet, now that money and the will to go after Hungary has evaporated with Trump in office, it is telling that one of Zelensky’s priorities has been to use money (most certainly received from the U.S. and EU) to go after Orbán himself. The Hungarian prime minister has been a vocal critic of the war in Ukraine and has rallied for peace to avoid further deaths and destruction since the start, something Kyiv has used to smear him as a Putin-ally.
USAID, which started as a Cold War weapon and has now become an LGBTQ evangelist, can no longer spend money on Democrats’ priorities worldwide, write Gergely Szilvay and Mátyás Kohán in a piece for Mandiner that explores the history and downfall of the USAID.
Donald Trump’s administration has made available a list of those supported by the official U.S. government aid organization, USAID, and other government agencies (State Department, National Endowment for Democracy, etc.).
The case is preceded by an executive order by Trump suspending the disbursement of foreign aid for three months. As a result, many Hungarian left-wing media outlets and organizations lost millions of forints in funding. Twenty-two applicants were able to say goodbye to a total of 173 million forints (€425,000). However, the implementation of the decree was suspended by two judges.
Then, people from Elon Musk’s government office, DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), showed up at the USAID building to get the data they wanted. Some USAID employees, including John Voorhees, the agency’s head of security, tried to prevent the DOGE people from entering the USAID building. Then two managers were sent on leave, and DOGE people obtained the data they were looking for.
Elon Musk wrote on X that USAID is a “criminal organization” that cannot be fixed and should be shut down. There have also been reports that the “autonomous” organization, which is otherwise organizationally under the State Department but partially under the control of Congress, will be completely merged into the State Department.
The liberal Guardian notes that USAID is the world’s largest aid agency, distributing $72 billion in 2023 and providing 42 percent of all aid counted by the UN in 2024.
Open clash with liberals
Zoltán Koskovics, an analyst at the Center for Fundamental Rights, explained to Mandiner: “With one of Donald Trump’s first presidential decrees, he suspended the disbursement of development aid in order for the State Department to review it. According to the document, this was necessary because a significant part of the programs did not meet the interests of the United States, were not compatible with the foreign policy direction set by the new administration, and, moreover, ‘serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are contrary to the internal political peace of these nations and harmonious and stable international relations.’”
He added that liberals, following their usual tactics, challenged the presidential order in court, but what followed must have surprised them. Instead of the new administration waiting for the legal wrangling to end, Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) sprang into action. “Within a few days, they paralyzed the operations of USAID, the agency responsible for development loans, with the undisclosed goal of bringing to light the conditions prevailing there and destroying the entire corrupt structure to the ground,” said Koskovics.
“Over the past decades, a diverse and untraceable corruption mechanism has been built around the U.S. ‘soft power’ agency, which had two basic goals: the spread of postmodern, woke ideology, and the opaque outsourcing of American taxpayer money to USAID’s foreign agents. It is no coincidence that Elon Musk called the organization a ‘criminal enterprise’ and vowed to completely eliminate it,” the expert said in a statement to Mandiner.
The roots of American aid policy
The history of American international development policy dates back to the Marshall Plan after World War II. Since communist parties posed a significant threat in Europe, the Americans ensured that aid was channeled to appropriate organizations, provided advice to several Christian Democratic-right parties (such as the Italian one), and eventually took on the support of party foundations (such as the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, affiliated with the CDU-CSU in Germany, and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, affiliated with the Social Democrats).
They even entered higher education: Since the leftists had become dominant at the German Humboldt University, they founded the Freie Universität Berlin. This was also intended to spread “Americanism.” But they failed to notice that “Americanism” meant something very different in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s: From the 1960s onwards, the former Americanness meant liberalism and radical left-wing critical theories imported back to Europe.
While the European allies received Marshall Aid, the developing countries of the world received something completely different: USAID’s aid programs.
USAID is known to incorporate Washington’s government priorities into its aid programs, i.e., it also exerts indirect power in the form of ideological pressure. The American political ideas behind the organization were first mentioned by President Harry S. Truman in his inaugural address on Jan. 20, 1949. The president explained: “We must embark on a bold new program to make the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial development available for the development and growth of underdeveloped areas.”
Truman described the world situation as follows: more than half of the world “lives in conditions approaching poverty,” they are malnourished, sick, “their economic life is primitive and stagnant” (but) “for the first time in history, humanity has the knowledge and the ability to alleviate the suffering of these people,” and the United States has a leading role to play in this.
USAID and the Cold War
The Truman idea — that the USA, as the most developed country in the world, has the task of uplifting backward peoples — was institutionalized in the 1960s under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, in no small part as a Cold War weapon.
During the Kennedy and Johnson eras, the political director of the U.S. State Department, and later President Johnson’s national security advisor, was Walt W. Rostow. As the father of modernization theory, he firmly believed that communism was a “developmental disease” of immature developing countries that led to distorted modernity.
And the job of the United States was to lead underdeveloped countries along the path to the only correct modernity, Western modernity, and thus protect them from communism. Rostow believed that development took place in the same five steps in all countries and that his principles were applicable to all societies.
Incidentally, it was the same Rostow who first proposed military support for South Vietnam in 1965, and then the bombing of North Vietnam in 1966 – tying America into an ultimately completely unsuccessful war until 1973.
USAID and its Latin American subsidiary, the Alliance for Progress, were founded under Rostow and channeled American development aid worldwide to defeat communism. This work was well documented in 20th-century historiography. For example, a prestigious history of international development policy, published in 2018, details the secret diplomacy carried out under the auspices of USAID: In 1966, at the Aid Effectiveness Conference in London, attended by all major international development policy organizations, USAID reported that “we are increasingly recognizing that economic aid can help development not only by supplementing the limited capital and technological resources of the recipient country, but also by influencing the policies and programs of the recipient country.”
“As we become increasingly aware of the potential leverage of aid, we are experimenting with more effective leverage techniques,” USAID presented at the conference, adding that “current government policies, priorities and administrative capacity should not be considered unchangeable, they are political variables.”
USAID – together with the World Bank and the IMF – also played a major role in maintaining the Brazilian military dictatorship, also along the lines of the Cold War. Latin America, which the U.S. considers its sphere of influence according to the Monroe Doctrine, was also a key area of operation for USAID. Historian Corinna Unger, professor at the European University Institute, writes in her book, for example: “He puts the amount that the U.S. pumped into Latin America in the 1960s and 1970s to keep communism in check at $20 billion, and the distribution of American funds here was also coordinated by USAID.”
New times, new priorities
After the Cold War ended, the fight against communism was no longer necessary, but the basic operating mechanism of USAID did not change: With its aid, it promoted the implementation of American policy priorities in the world, which, thanks to the democratic occupation of the institution, became the export of democracy and LGBTQ and gender politics.
The most blatant example of this was the Peruvian forced sterilization scandal that erupted in the 1990s: Under the dictatorship of Alberto Fujimori, between 1993 and 1998, USAID actively contributed to the forced sterilization of hundreds of thousands of Peruvian indigenous women, until it was banned. (Fujimori, who was supported by USAID and accused of corruption and serious human rights abuses, was overthrown in 2000 and fled to Japan.)
In Bangladesh, their projects aimed at protecting the rights of “third genders,” those who do not want to identify as either male or female, and sensitized more than a million listeners on LGBTQ rights on 15 local radio stations.
In South Africa, they helped transgender people access sex reassignment surgery, hormone therapy, and other medical treatments.
In Kosovo, they supported organizations lobbying for the right to gender reassignment, and in 2019, they were successful, with the country’s appeals court ruling in favor of the right to gender reassignment.
In Guatemala, they provided sensitization training to hundreds of government officials in order to reduce the “stigmatization” of the LGBTQ community.
In several countries in the Middle East and North Africa, they provided educational materials to LGBTQ activist organizations.
Mandiner has also revealed what kind of support liberal organizations received in Hungary. The last head of USAID, Samantha Power, visited Hungary in February 2023 at the invitation of the since-departed US ambassador, David Pressman, to meet with NGOs working in the field of democracy export.
Spanish authorities are searching for three young Maghreb men suspected of the brutal murder of an American Jesuit priest, Richard Gross, in Malaga last month.
The 80-year-old priest, who lived in Boston, was found dead on Jan. 20 in the apartment he was staying in before embarking on a cruise scheduled for the following day.
His body was discovered by cleaning staff and forensic analysis confirmed that he had suffered severe facial injuries before being suffocated.
Investigators believe Gross was also the victim of a violent robbery, with police determining that the perpetrators had stolen his luggage and personal belongings before fleeing the scene.
Security camera footage captured at least one of the suspects fleeing with the stolen items. Authorities have identified him as a young man with a criminal record and are now working to locate all three individuals believed to be involved. All three suspects are of Maghreb origin.
Fingerprint evidence was also collected from the crime scene is undergoing analysis.
Neighbors reported hearing distressing noises around 9 p.m. on the night of the murder, with one witness describing shouts “as if someone was drowning,” according to OKdiario. While some residents called emergency services, police officers who responded to the area were unable to pinpoint the source of the disturbance and eventually left without further action.
Richard Gross was a respected priest and educator who had served as a teacher at Boston College High School and ministered at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church in the Port of Boston. His death has deeply affected his community, with parishioner John Haynes describing him as “a friendly and approachable person, someone with whom you could always talk.”
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden and tragic passing of Father Richard Gross,” read a statement from the high school where he had worked.
It further remembered his “trademark self-confidence,” and his “characteristically independent and adventurous spirit.”
Elon Musk posted yesterday on X: “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die.”
It is clear that Musk is taking swift action in his role in DOGE to cut any and all government waste, but his actions are not just about cutting costs — they’re also about rooting out corruption and getting the U.S. government out of areas it does not belong. Sure, making sure not another cent is spent on studies of shrimps on treadmills would be good, but there is also the far more monstrous and deep-rooted dedication to funneling millions upon millions of U.S. tax dollars to “spread democracy” overseas.
Ahead of Monday’s meeting in Brussels to discuss European security, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stated in a Facebook post that “a new era in geopolitics has dawned.”
His post was focused on the reality of war and Europe’s need to commit to assuring its own security, noting that “Hungary is one of the NATO allies that spends between 2 percent on defense” and its dedication to improving its defense industry.
Trump has repeatedly demanded NATO allies do more, with some even questioning if the U.S. will pull out of the alliance altogether.
At the very least, the American president has made it clear he wants countries to spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense, which many balk at. Meanwhile, leaders are scrambling to remain relevant in any peace discussions between Ukraine and Russia, as they fear Trump will force Kyiv to agree to unfavorable terms.
The message is clear: A new era has dawned, and the U.S. wants to end conflicts once and for all and focus on America, on Americans. And perhaps no organ of the U.S. government has done more to instigate, promote, and indirectly fund conflict abroad than USAID.
Szijjártó’s post is more than just, “Let’s focus on our defense.” It’s more about asserting the ability of all of Europe to be able to step out on its own, out of the shadow of U.S. hegemony, and take its future into its own hands.
“We will break through the cynicism and make 2025 a fantastic year,” Orbán is quoted as saying in his latest interview on Kossuth Radio. In addition to increasing wages, invigorating Hungary’s middle class, and making sure pensioners are cared for, the prime minister made it clear that going forward, Hungary must look forward and elsewhere. This means, as the German economy in particular has hit troubled waters, looking more to Asia and the Middle East for opportunities for growth.
“We cannot be trapped in a declining European economy. Our partnerships with China, South Korea, and the Arab world will provide the growth opportunities we need,” he said.
In a recent roundtable discussion on the rise of Eurasia held by Kommentár magazine in Budapest, geopolitical expert Dr. Ágnes Bernek said: “Eurasia and Africa are the ‘global islands,’ and whoever dominates them dominates the world.”
As of now, the USAID site is down, its profile on X is gone, and senior officials there have been put on leave after refusing Musk access to their systems.
Mike Benz, a former State Department cybersecurity expert, posted documents on X showing the USAID’s guidance for media, specifically regarding the practice of “strategic silence.”
“Why was USAID actively instructing media organizations around the world to “AGREE POLICIES ON STRATEGIC SILENCE” to all collectively censor social media narratives?” he asks.
Why was USAID actively instructing media organizations around the world to "AGREE POLICIES ON STRATEGIC SILENCE" to all collectively censor social media narratives? pic.twitter.com/oYz0BKjG29
One of Trump’s first actions as president was to halt and review all U.S. foreign aid for 90 days. Many expect massive cuts to be in the works, as the new administration reprioritizes interests back home and has called to put an end to foreign meddling. This has an immediate impact on Hungary.
As reported by Remix News last week, this move has already affected HUF 173 million ($440,000) and “dozens of beneficiaries” who purportedly were to be given money for “strengthening and improving the sustainability of local and national independent public media” and for “media awareness and education and journalism training programs.”
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán’s political director, Balázs Orbán, celebrated the news that Hungary’s “independent” press could lose millions in funding while also asking the obvious: Just how independent are these outlets if funded by a leftist U.S. agenda?
Remix News reported earlier on such media funding, noting that former ambassador to Budapest, David Pressman, had the final decision in allocating available funds. “Pressman has been so worried about the situation of the Hungarian media for years that last year he distributed 118 million forints and another 30 million forints to the left-liberal national and rural media in two rounds,” we reported last October.
Now, Pressman is gone. Trump Jr. had told Zoltán Szalai the editor-in-chief of Mandiner, at an MCC conference before his father won the election that Pressman’s attacks were “unprecedented” and “ridiculous,” saying things “will change the second my father wins.”
Things are definitely changing, fast. No one probably expected such a swift and extensive overhaul to what had been considered key organs of the U.S. government. But many countries, especially Hungary, are most likely breathing a sigh of relief and looking ahead with great optimism.
Stronger countries make for better allies, better relations, and better growth for all.
CPAC Hungary, hosted by Budapest’s Center for Fundamental Rights, will be taking place again in May, with Prime Minister Orbán set to deliver the keynote address.
Marking his trip, PM Orbán posted a photo of himself with Schlapp, stating: “Matt and I have been working on strengthening U.S.-Hungarian relations for years. With the victory of President Donald Trump, our work has finally come to fruition: the age of patriots is here.”
It was a pleasure to welcome @mschlapp to Hungary. Matt and I have been working on strengthening 🇺🇸🇭🇺 relations for years. With the victory or President @realDonaldTrump, our work has finally come to fruition: the age of patriots is here.
Schlapp, in turn, reposted Orbán’s message with a message of his own: “I told PM Viktor Orbán last year that we would do our job in America just as he has in Hungary.”
The prime minster’s political director, Balázs Orbán, also posted: “Always a pleasure to host our great friend Matt Schlapp in Budapest! Exciting times ahead— CPAC Hungary returns on May 29-30. Stay tuned!”
Always a pleasure to host our great friend @mschlapp in Budapest! 🇭🇺🇺🇸 Exciting times ahead—@CPAC Hungary returns on May 29-30. Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/yaQRharq86
Matt Schlapp, chair of the American Conservative Union, which organizes CPAC events, and husband to Mercedes Schlapp, who served as Trump’s White House Director of Strategic Communications during his first term, spoke to Origo while in Budapest.
Asked about the bond between CPAC and President Trump, Schlapp told the paper: “We stood by Donald Trump in 2016, and then throughout the four years of his first presidency. We stood by him after the events of Jan. 6, and we even invited him to explain his position on the events in front of an audience. They tried to subpoena him and imprison him, but we stood by him all the way. Because we saw that he was a leader of historic importance. We need his voice, his personality.”
Regarding CPAC Hungary taking place for the fourth time in May, Schlapp called CPAC “a serious influential force” that has “given faith and momentum to bring freedom-loving politicians to power” around the world.
“We reached a point where there was nothing but Orbán and Trump – and that was it,” he commented, adding that the arrival of leaders such as Giorgia Meloni and Javier Milei has given new impetus to the conservative camp.
“And the more places the patriots win, the more nervous the left will become!” Schlapp exclaimed.
The CPAC head credited Trump’s recent win to the minority vote, saying that “all minorities supported him.” He also said the Hispanic vote was due to their neighborhoods falling victim to crimes perpetrated by those entering illegally while they had gone through or are still going through the proper procedures. “Of course, they voted for change, that is, for Trump!,” he said.
Referencing Trump’s first actions to dismantle wokeism, including removing rainbow flags from embassy buildings and banning transgender people from the military, Schlapp said, “In America, everyone has the right to live their lives the way they want. This doesn’t mean that it’s morally okay, just that everyone has the right to do it.”
He went on to express dismay at transgender people being in the military, as “they need very serious surgeries and doses of medication.” This is not about “being mean” but rather raising serious issues about being unfit for military service.
“They can’t just be assigned to any service because they’re incapable of doing their job, like on the frontlines. If they miss their daily dose of medicine just once, they become weak and unfit for service. Why do such people sign up for military service?” Schlapp asked.
As to the “joke” of DEI, he stated clearly that Trump will be ending this policy. “For the past four years, it has been common knowledge in America that if you are a white, middle-class guy, you are not going to get into a top school or get a management job at a company,” he said.
Regarding Brussels’ threat to member states’ sovereignty, Schlapp noted that “as an American, I find it difficult to understand why many more European countries are not rebelling against Brussels. At the same time, I can see that we too have fallen into a coma while the globalists, the Marxists, have tried to take power over our heads.”
He went on to say that all countries are facing the same issues: open borders and illegal migration, gender reassignment surgeries for kids, and turning traditional values upside down. He also attacked those who say Israel has no right to exist.
Touching on race relations in the U.S., the CPAC chair said: “In America, liberals added to this by saying that everything, everything was about skin color. If someone was white, they had no right to speak out, but if they were an activist in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, they immediately got the new job, just because someone in your family was once a slave. And some parts of America are so caught up in this madness that once upon a time we had slavery, they think it’s a permanent mark. In other countries around the world, if they make a (political) mistake, they correct it and move on. Not in the USA; many there want whites and blacks to hate each other until the end of time.”
As a Kansas native, Origo made sure to ask Schlapp about the upcoming Super Bowl and who he’s rooting for to win.
“I hope it’s the Kansas City Chiefs! They’re the first and only team to make it to the Super Bowl three years in a row, they have a great coach and a great quarterback. The team has a lot of Trump supporters, and they wear red jerseys, which is the color of the Republican Party. Who else could I root for?” he told the paper.
The former American ambassador to Budapest, David B. Cornstein, gave an interview on the Hungarian Ultrahang YouTube channel, which was covered by the Mandiner news portal.
Touching briefly on his hometown of New York, Cornstein noted his and his wife’s fear of crime, with even violent crimes happening in elite neighborhoods. “The city is dirty, there are fewer and fewer places to go for dinner,” he adds.
He also spoke about his love of Budapest and his time there as ambassador between 2018 and 2020. “The prime minister is probably the number one person in Hungary. But when I got there, they treated me, the American ambassador, like the prime minister. We have developed a wonderful relationship, we have achieved a lot,” Cornstein said.
On Hungary, he emphasized that with such a small country, it is important to take into account the larger region.
“There’s a point in the middle of the continent called Central Europe, where 125 million people live, it’s a hell of a market. I think you should consider that the region itself, not just the country, and if you want to expand, you can have the whole region,” he stressed.
Regarding the former ambassador, the just recently departed David Pressman, Cornstein was alarmed he never met once with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
“It doesn’t matter who you represent if you can’t achieve anything,” he commented. “(Pressman) didn’t meet anyone from the government. This is simply not normal,” the former diplomat pointed out.
He added that even under Barack Obama, Hungary was viewed as an “evil empire.” But Cornstein came in with a different attitude.
“I had a great relationship with all the ministers and the prime minister. And because of the good relationship, they called me to see if I could help the country with this or that, and I called them to see if there was a possibility for some kind of cooperation, and we arranged things. For example, defense cooperation,” he said.
“Due to the geographical location of the country, joint work is very, very important for both parties, and you can’t cooperate if you don’t talk to each other. This is ridiculous, this is very kindergarten-like,” Cornstein added.
The ambassador under Trump’s first administration further lamented the prejudices Pressman brought to the table, saying he “wasted four years” because of this.
As to serving again as ambassador under Trump, Cornstein noted that both the American and Hungarian sides want him to return to Budapest. “The leadership of both countries has approached me, which is very flattering to me,” he said.
“I hope to be involved in the process of choosing the next ambassador and have the opportunity to have some dialogue, but will probably leave that task to the next guy or girl,” said Cornstein.
Europe must take its own security seriously to be respected by the new Donald Trump administration in Washington and must continue to fund the Ukrainian war effort until Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to certain demands including reparations, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky has said.
In an exclusive interview with RND on the sidelines of the EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels this week, Lipavsky discussed the future of the Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine, potential peace negotiations led by former U.S. President Donald Trump, and increasing pressure on Russian diplomats within the EU.
The Czech Republic launched a global ammunition procurement initiative last year to support Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression. When asked about plans for 2025, Lipavsky reaffirmed the country’s commitment to supplying Ukraine with crucial military resources.
“In 2024, we were able to deliver 1.5 million rounds of ammunition, including about a third of 155mm caliber shells,” Lipavsky said. “This played an important role in achieving parity on the battlefield. Before that, the ammunition ratio was 1:10 in favor of Russia. With our help, it became 1:1. We know the war will continue, and we must keep supplying ammunition in 2025.”
While Lipavsky did not specify exact numbers for this year’s deliveries, he emphasized that the priority was to meet Ukraine’s needs. “We are currently examining financing options for the new initiative and will then determine how much ammunition we can procure,” he stated.
When asked about potential delays in obtaining and delivering ammunition, Lipavsky acknowledged the complexity of the process but insisted that it ultimately depends on political commitment.
“This is a very complex project that mainly depends on political will and financing. If the funds are there, we can procure the ammunition. Delivery times vary depending on origin and condition — some ammunition may need adaptation or reprocessing before it can be reliably used in Ukraine,” he explained.
Lipavsky assured that there is still a global supply of ammunition that could be acquired. “It is a question of political will. If many EU member states support our initiative again, we can achieve significant results for Ukraine,” he said.
With Donald Trump’s potential return to the U.S. presidency and his expressed intent to end the war swiftly, Lipavsky urged European nations to remain steadfast in their support for Ukraine.
“We should do exactly the opposite [of stepping back]. We must continue supporting Ukraine. Trump’s words — ‘Peace through strength’ — should be taken seriously. Europe must be able to ensure its own security with its own political commitment and determination. If we fail to do so, someone else will make the decisions for us, and not in our favor,” Lipavsky warned.
Regarding speculation about a possible peace agreement negotiated between Trump and Putin, Lipavsky stressed that any deal must ensure lasting and just peace, and any agreement must see the Russian president agree to demands for reparations to rebuild Ukraine and his acknowledgment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as leader of a sovereign Ukraine.
“The negotiations are not just about territorial demands. It is about basic principles, such as the question of whether Russian war criminals are pursued or not. Many war criminals are back in Russia and difficult. We also have to pay Putin for what he destroyed in Ukraine, and Ukraine has to remain a sovereign state with Volodymyr Zelensky as a sovereign president,” he said.
He also warned against Russia’s diplomatic maneuvers: “Putin, his Foreign Minister Lavrov, and other propagandists refuse to negotiate directly with Ukraine. Instead, they speak to leaders like German Chancellor Olaf Scholz or the U.S. president, trying to sideline Ukraine. We must not fall into this trap.”
Lipavsky outlined new measures to curb Russian influence in Europe, including restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats within the EU.
“We will push for the 16th sanctions package to limit the freedom of movement of Russian diplomats. We have identified at least 2,000 individuals — diplomats, their families, and service staff — who form an unprecedented network used by Russian intelligence for sabotage in the EU. This is unacceptable,” he stated.
The Czech minister clarified that while diplomatic relations with Russia remain, EU nations are not obligated to provide unrestricted access. “If this restriction is implemented, Russian diplomats will need visas to travel between EU countries. Intelligence services would then be aware of their movements, and unauthorized travel could result in expulsion,” Lipavsky explained.
With an upcoming trip to the United States in early February, Lipavsky highlighted the importance of European unity in its approach to Trump’s potential return to power.
“Europe must remain united and avoid division. We must prevent trade tariffs through dialogue and possibly by making an attractive offer. Under no circumstances can we risk a trade war,” he cautioned.
Lipavsky also emphasized the need for Europe to increase defense spending. “To be taken seriously by the U.S., we must show that we take our own security seriously. This may be unpopular in domestic debates, but it is necessary,” he said.
On his Jan.27 podcast with journalist Matt Taibbi, Tucker Carlson accused the Biden administration of attempting to assassinate Putin, pointing a finger specifically at Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was “pushing so hard for a real war” between the two superpowers as his term neared its end, essentially using “chaos as a screen” to try to prevent exposure of illicit activities under Biden.
“I think that’s one of the reasons Tony Blinken was pushing so hard for a real war, trying to kill Putin, for example, which the Biden administration did, they tried to kill Putin,” Tucker says (46:50)
“Really?” asks Taibbi. “Yes, yes, they did, which is insane,” Tucker responds.
However, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the Kremlin has no idea what Tucker Carlson was talking about and called his statement “unfounded,” according to Interfax.
“It is better not to listen to unfounded information, regardless of who it comes from,” Peskov said, adding that much care should be taken when assessing such claims.
Nevertheless, Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the State Duma (the lower house of the Russian parliament), told the TASS news agency that “Russian society needs to understand the level of challenges and threats we face.”
“A plot to assassinate Putin, mere discussions of it, is a crime, a serious threat to global security, a direct path to nuclear war. All international institutions should view it as a basis for an investigation,” the Duma chairman wrote on Telegram.
President Donald Trump has decided to review all aid going overseas, with many expecting massive cuts to be in the works, as the new administration reprioritizes interests back home and has called to put an end to foreign meddling.
Not surprisingly, recipients of generous American support over the years have had their feathers ruffled. Balázs Orbán, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán’s political director (not a family relation), took to X to call out the angst, asking if what the left calls “independent” is really so.
“One of the largest Hungarian opposition media outlets is upset by Trump’s executive order halting U.S. foreign aid for 90 days, as Hungary’s ‘independent’ press stands to lose millions of forints in funding. Makes you wonder how independent one can be when relying on another government’s funding…”
One of the largest Hungarian opposition media outlets is upset by Trump’s executive order halting U.S. foreign aid for 90 days, as Hungary’s “independent” press stands to lose millions of forints in funding. Makes you wonder how independent one can be when relying on another… pic.twitter.com/BqXVP9dzg7
In the photo posted by Orbán’s, we see former Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman with his arm around Samantha Power, former administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from 2021 to 2025 and the United State’s UN ambassador before that.
USAID is largely criticized for its on-the-ground interference around the world, “promoting democracy” and policies not always welcome in countries, such as LGBTQ, gender ideology, and abortion. USAID is seen by many as the arm of the U.S. government used to “soften up” a country to sweep in a new government “more cooperative” with American interests, also known as Color Revolutions.
Back in 2023, head of the New York Young Republicans Club, Gavin Wax, told Magyar Nemzet that such color revolutions in “non-ally” countries have been taking place for years under the CIA, “but now (the United States) is meddling in the internal affairs of a country that is a NATO ally of the United States. This is completely wrong. They do not act as diplomats, but ideologically, as activists, because Hungary is not considered an ally in an ideological sense.”
Wax had initiated a cooperation agreement between NY Young Republicans and Budapest’s Center for Fundamental Rights at the time and had spoken previously at CPAC Hungary. He has notably reposted Orbán’s spot-on comment.
X chief and Trump advisor Elon Musk also joined in, reposting Orbán’s comment as well and stating: “The US radical-left has been using US taxpayer money to fund radical-left political parties & media around the world!”
The US radical-left has been using US taxpayer money to fund radical-left political parties & media around the world! https://t.co/S693KvLkUk
German Green MEP, Daniel Freund, who has made his career out of demonizing Orbán and the Hungarian government, joined in, reposting Musk’s post with the comment: “Every single word in this tweet is a lie.”
Freund, by the way, was busy last year ahead of the U.S. elections meeting with DC power players, including USAID, seemingly to better angle and align his future plays in the event of a Harris win. He is, however, perhaps most famous for calling for Orbán to be arrested. It is unclear what drives his obsession with the Hungarian prime minister.
Back to Balázs Orbán’s original post. The report he most likely is referring to was out of HVG, which ran a piece on Trump’s decision. “Ökotárs and Mérték Média Műhely did indeed notify this year’s winners of the Free Media Contest by email on Monday morning that since Donald Trump has suspended foreign funding for 90 days, this will also affect Hungarian independent media. During this time, no contracts can be concluded and no payments can be made,” the site reads.
The portal states that the move impacts HUF 173 million ($440,000) and “dozens of beneficiaries” who purportedly were to be given money for “strengthening and improving the sustainability of local and national independent public media” and for “media awareness and education and journalism training programs.”
HVG also lists some of the outlets and groups that will see their funding cut. These include 444.hu, set to lose HUF 8 million, Klubrádió and Magyar Hang set to lose more than HUF 10 million each, and Transparency International Hungary, which could lose more than €7 million.
Many Americans on both sides of the aisle, and especially Trump-voting Republicans, rightfully do not see their tax dollars being well spent on never-ending wars, whether that is on the battlefield or in the press by means of funded propaganda.
Bryan Leib, a PR professional and Hungarian ambassador hopeful, has been vocal on the failed foreign policy waged against the Orbán government under Biden and his appointed ambassador, David Pressman. He took to X to express what many Americans are asking about the massive aid the U.S. continuously sends abroad:
“Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous? “Funding left wing media operations in countries all around the world doesn’t check any of these boxes so it’s time to cut them all off!”
As @POTUS and @SecRubio have said regarding our foreign aid: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?
Funding left wing media operations in countries all around the world doesn't check any of these boxes so it's time to…
Back in early 2023, Power visited Budapest to commit $20 million “to bolster civil society, to help independent media thrive and reach new audiences, and to support community-led initiatives that can empower local groups trying to make change.”
Power ends her video by saying, “We are looking forward to working with the Hungarian people in building the future they want.”
The future who wants?
Many have come to see such “initiatives” as nothing other than special interest groups inside the U.S. government spending citizens’ tax dollars on “change” they and they alone see as necessary and that often serve only to continue an American hegemonic presence neither American voters nor those on the ground benefit from.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó had his first official contact with Marco Rubio, the new U.S. secretary of state,, after which Szijjártó said, “We reaffirmed our mutual commitment to putting the relationship between our two countries on a new foundation,” reports Magyar Nemzet,
The Hungarian foreign minister highlighted that Hungary has suffered serious security and economic damage as a result of the war in Ukraine, and the primary goal of the Trump administration is to end the conflict.
Rubio emphasized that one of the most important goals of the new American leadership is to establish peace, and Szijjártó confirmed Hungary’s support for any initiative that brings the war closer to an end.
“Living next door to war is not only dangerous, but also causes significant economic damage, so it is in our interest that Donald Trump succeeds in his peace efforts,” he said.
According to the foreign minister, Rubio said that measures taken under the previous Democratic-led administration will be reviewed, with Szijjártó hailing the start of a new golden age in Hungarian-American political relations.
Szijjártó and Rubio also discussed an in-person meeting, which could happen in the near future.
Szijjártó told the press that the Trump administration’s objectives are identical to Hungarian interests on many important issues, including migration, peace, family support, and respect for sovereignty, and he welcomed Trump’s first executive orders issued last week.
Meanwhile, Szijjártó had strong words for Polish PM Donald Tusk, who posted his outrage at the Hungarian government last October over resistance to EU sanctions against Russia.
“If Viktor Orbán actually blocks European sanctions at a key moment in the war, it will be absolutely clear that in this great game for the security and future of Europe, he is playing on Putin’s team, not ours. With all the consequences of this fact,” Tusk had posted.
“It may be hard for a Soros agent to understand, but when it comes to ‘teams,’ we play for the Hungarian team. That’s why we defend Hungarian interests. For us, Hungary comes first!” Szijjártó shot back, reports Do Rzeczy.
PM Orbán has made his stance on sanctions clear, saying: “It is time to throw sanctions out the window and establish sanctions-free relations with Russia.” He has also been pushing for Ukraine to reopen its pipelines to allow Russian gas to flow to Europe.
The unanimous consent of all 27 European Union member states is required to pass sanctions, with the next meeting to discuss a possible extension of sanctions against Russia being held on Jan. 31.
The Hungarian prime minister has repeatedly said peace is necessary to achieve the goals of Hungarian economic policy and that only with peace achieved can there be any serious discussion about Ukraine, most likely referring to the country’s possible EU and NATO membership, although he has vocally objected to both.
Last week, after meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Orbán spoke about the economic threat posed by Ukraine. “If Ukraine were to join the European Union today, it would devastate Hungary. There are no answers today to the question of how we would protect Slovak, Hungarian, or other EU citizens’ living standards with Ukraine in the Union,” he said.
On his first day in office, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a general 10 percent tariff on goods from China starting Feb. 1, possible 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and potentially new tariffs on the EU due to its worrying trade surplus.
According to a recent Global Trade report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the tariffs would have a serious impact on world trade, reports Portfolio.hu.
The portal points out that during his campaign, Trump had proposed tariffs on Chinese goods as high as 60 percent, a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, and a 20 percent tariff on imports from all other countries. If implemented, the portal says these would increase trade costs for the United States’ 10 largest trading partners by $640 billion compared to 2023 levels.
This additional cost would amount to $102 billion for the European Union and would have the greatest impact on the automotive sector, most notably in exports of vehicles and vehicle parts to the EU, Mexico, and Japan. Higher tariffs on Chinese goods would mostly affect consumer electronics, electrical machinery, and fashion items.
As the United States consolidates as a trading bloc while sharply reducing its dependence on China, BCG expects China to become a more important trading partner for the rest of the world. There is also a risk that China’s record trade surplus, driven by growing manufacturing overcapacity, will be resented not only by the United States and the EU but potentially by India and other trading partners.
China’s trade with the EU is expected to stagnate or decline with the U.K., Canada, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, but will rebound significantly with the so-called Global South. China’s trade with the Global South, which includes 133 Southeast Asian and African countries excluding China but including India – accounting for 62 percent of the world’s population and 18 percent of global GDP – is set to grow by $1.25 trillion by 2033, as countries in this region increasingly contribute to global supply chains.
Without widespread tariff increases, global trade, excluding exports and imports of services and only considering goods, would grow by an average of 2.9 percent annually and reach $29 trillion by 2033, according to BCG’s forecast.
The analysis predicts that geopolitical tensions, energy security, and regulatory challenges will force the EU to reassess its traditional trade relationships. The bloc’s foreign trade is expected to grow by 2 percent per year through 2033, even as geopolitical tensions and energy security concerns weigh on the EU’s trade prospects, according to BCG’s forecast “Great Powers, Geopolitics and the Future of Trade.”
BCG further predicts that trade between the EU and the US will increase by $303 billion over the next decade, largely driven by EU LNG (liquefied natural gas) imports.
EU trade is expected to accelerate with India and Turkey, and BCG expects the EU-Africa relationship to develop rapidly. North Africa will become an important location for EU manufacturing supply chains and a major source of energy and minerals needed for Europe’s green transition.
EU-India trade is expected to grow by 6 percent per year over the same period, driven mainly by trade in information technology, pharmaceuticals, and industrial production.
However, EU trade with Russia is expected to decline by $106 billion by 2033 compared to 2023, as the EU continues to reduce Russian energy imports and implement economic sanctions.
For the EU, all of these trends will have significant geopolitical implications, as the Draghi report notes. The EU can no longer rely on large increases in global trade or on its existing trade relationships. Closer ties with emerging economies and a stronger EU internal market will also be important in the future, BCG says.
As Europe awaits President Trump’s first actions in regard to Europe, specifically in the economic sphere, one expert on the ground in Poland has some advice for his country’s six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union.
According to Marcin Nowacki, vice president of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP), the European Union must prepare for a greater reception of products and services from the United States, which has a high trade deficit with the Old Continent.
Poland, traditionally friendly towards the U.S., could use its presidency of the EU Council to bring about an agreement between the two sides, he told the Newseria news agency, as quoted by Salon24.
“We need to open up as Europe, as the European Union, to orders, products, and investments from the States. Natural directions, important from the point of view of Poland, are defense; increased spending on armaments in NATO and European Union countries is partly related to the transfer of technology from America. Here again, we provide assistance and competence,” the ZPP head said.
“Another area is digital technologies, data centers, and cloud computing, where Europe has fewer competencies; we should thus naturally attract investments. Poland and Central Europe is a natural place to play the main role in this area. And finally, industry and energy. We have more and more cooperation with the energy industry from the States and I think that this direction should also be maintained with Polish leadership in this area,” Nowacki concluded.
Donald Trump’s statements suggest that one of the first decisions will be to introduce tariffs on goods imported from abroad. This move would be aimed most strongly at China, with products subject to a 60% tariff. Trump also threatened Canada and Mexico, threatening a 25% rate to stop the flow of immigrants and drugs.
The European Union may also expect restrictions on free trade, i.e., tariffs from 10% to 20% on imports from the EU if the community does not make up for its huge trade deficit with the U.S. by purchasing oil and gas. Europe has announced an “adequate response,” which can be understood as the intention to introduce retaliatory tariffs. However, experts agree that Europe will end up worse off from mutual tariffs than the U.S.
“In the context of the future of economic and political relations between the United States and the European Union, we see many risks and challenges. I am afraid of a potential trade war between the European Union and the States, I am also afraid of tensions in the digital sector. The European Union has done a lot of regulatory work in the context of balancing its position with American companies, and we have to find a common denominator,“ Nowacki told the paper.
“The States expect us to have greater exposure to products, to orders from America, because we have a trade surplus; this is justified. On the other hand, in recent years, we have replaced America with China as the largest partner in the context of imports to Europe,” he pointed out.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced that he has instructed Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski to ensure that Polish consulates in the United States are prepared for the possible deportation of Polish illegal immigrants following President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Speaking ahead of a government meeting on Tuesday, Tusk emphasized the need for Poland to be ready for any consequences stemming from Trump’s anticipated crackdown on illegal immigration and encouraged Poles living in the U.S. to consider returning to their homeland.
His remarks come after Trump signed multiple executive orders on his first day back in the Oval Office, including one declaring a national border emergency in which he vowed to ramp up deportations of those living unlawfully in the United States.
“After the first announcements regarding possible deportations of illegal immigrants from the United States, I asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs to prepare our consulates, posts, and services in the United States for the possible consequences of these decisions in relation to Poles working and living in the United States with different status and levels of legality,” said Tusk.
Tusk acknowledged that the U.S. administration has yet to provide specifics on how the deportation policy would be implemented or whether Polish citizens would be among those affected.
“We have not received information on whether this operation may affect Polish citizens staying in the United States. Either way, we must be prepared, which is why our facilities in the United States will reach out to our citizens as quickly as possible, ensuring they feel safe amid this situation,” he stated.
The prime minister reassured Poles abroad that there would always be room for them at home.
“There may be no reason for concern, but Poland will be well-prepared for any situation. Every Pole will be warmly welcomed in the country. Everyone will find a place in their homeland. Everyone will find their America here. A lot has changed in recent years. Everyone who wants to work, who believes in their own future, their own strength, will find a suitable place in Poland. We will welcome all of them with open arms,” said Tusk.
Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration was not unexpected. He has long championed tougher border policies on the campaign trail, vowing to continue with the restrictive policy enforced during his first term in the White House.
“Moments after my inauguration, we will launch the largest deportation operation in American history,” he said previously.
While many assume this will primarily focus on the chaos at the southern border with Mexico, other nations are now expressing their desire to be prepared to accept repatriations.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, for example, how the Indian government was planning to accept 18,000 of its nationals living in the U.S. illegally in an attempt to demonstrate a willingness to engage with the Trump administration over fear that failure to do so could jeopardize visa applications for those wishing to enter the country legitimately.
In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, the Ukrainian president’s resounding message seemed to be that Europe must stop relying on America, and yet his demands for peace alone would surely entail both U.S. involvement and also Russian compromise.
Zelensky said “a minimum of 200,000 European soldiers will be required to secure Ukraine after any peace deal is reached.
“A minimum, otherwise it’s nothing,” he said, emphasizing the need to keep Putin in check.
He also decried Russia’s demand to cut Ukraine’s army down to a fifth of its current size of 800,000 troops, saying that would leave the country defenseless.
Europe must work together to secure itself and cannot wait for Donald Trump, Ukraine’s leader declared. “Europe must establish itself as a strong, global player, as an indispensable player,” he said, one that can “take care of itself.”
“Will President Trump even notice Europe? Does he see NATO as necessary? And will he respect EU institutions,” he posted on X.
Interestingly, Zelensky also reiterated his desire to join the U.S.-dominated NATO, saying it is the country’s best security guarantee, although Moscow has said it will not allow this under any circumstances. He even called President Trump’s expected defense spending ratio of 5 percent of GDP a legitimate requirement for increasing military investment.
According to the Ukrainian president, Europe is also making a big mistake by continuing its purchases of Russian gas and must free itself from its dependence on Russian energy.
Zelensky continued with his theme of making Europe stronger and less reliant on protection from America via multiple X threads, with one post seemingly contradicting his own push for stepping out from under its U.S. umbrella:
“It is impossible to keep buying gas from Moscow while expecting security guarantees, help and backup from the Americans.“ This came right after he declared that despite Trump promising more energy for Europe, the continent must “secure real energy independence.”
In another post, we read: “Europe must have a seat at the table when deals about war and peace are made. Not just for Ukraine—this must be the standard. Europe deserves to be more than just a bystander, with its leaders reduced to posting on X after an agreement has already been made. Europe needs to shape the terms of those deals.”
Europe must have a seat at the table when deals about war and peace are made. Not just for Ukraine—this must be the standard. Europe deserves to be more than just a bystander, with its leaders reduced to posting on X after an agreement has already been made. Europe needs to shape…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 21, 2025
Ironically, Zelensky then posted on X regarding his multiple meetings in Davos with leaders from Germany, Albania, Finland, Switzerland, and Vietnam, although it is unclear what purpose those served aside from photo ops.
He even ventured into Europe’s competitive edge in tech and innovation in another thread and returned to the topic of showing the U.S. that Europe is essential in yet another, “so that one day, in Washington, they’ll say – all eyes on Europe. Not because of war. But because of the opportunities in Europe.”
Poland’s former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki took part in a reception organized after the inauguration of Donald Trump in D.C. on Tuesday evening.
The PiS politician had the opportunity to talk, among others, with the President of Argentina Javier Milei.
“Wind of change,” Morawiecki wrote on X. “It is blowing faster and faster towards Poland.”
Many have been speculating as to who would be best positioned in Europe to serve as a mediator with the Trump administration.
Remix News formerly reported on Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki putting forth his name and that of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as the best options, while others feel Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is the best bet, especially when it comes to negotiating tariffs.
Meloni, meanwhile, has made headlines for hitting it off with both Trump and Elon Musk.
The Italian premier was also at the inauguration and posted a message to Trump on X, stating that “Italy will always be committed to consolidating the dialogue between the United States and Europe, as an essential pillar for the stability and growth of our communities.”
Auguri di buon lavoro al Presidente @realDonaldTrump per l’inizio del suo nuovo mandato alla guida degli Stati Uniti d’America. Sono certa che l’amicizia tra le nostre Nazioni e i valori che ci uniscono continueranno a rafforzare la collaborazione tra Italia e USA, affrontando… pic.twitter.com/sPvUmNK2jH
Polish President Andrzej Duda had only good things to say about the upcoming Trump administration before he left for the World Economic Forum in Davos (WEF) on Monday, which will be held under the slogan “Cooperation in a Smart Age.” At the conference preceding his departure, the president answered questions about Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency, among other things.
“I believe that Donald Trump’s second presidency will bring four years of good policy for Poland,” Duda said. He also expressed hope that his current relationship with the U.S. president will benefit Poland, according to Business Insider.
Leaders from around the world gather in Davos to discuss current issues and challenges, which this year includes the ongoing war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be present to take part in these meetings, the Polish president noted. However, all eyes will be on D.C.
Duda said events at the WEF would be “dominated by what is happening in Washington, the inauguration of President Donald Trump,” as it is an “extremely important event” not only for the United States but also for the entire world, in terms of the economy and security.
“I look at this event with satisfaction and great calm,” Duda said, adding that he met with Trump when “many people doubted whether he had any chance” of becoming U.S. president again.
Andrej Babiš, the former Czech prime minister who is tipped for a return to office after elections later this year, has pushed back against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s call for NATO members to ramp up defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.
Speaking on CNN Prima News on Sunday, Babiš rejected the notion that Czechia should pay more into its defense budget, arguing that the Czech economy is on the rise and 2 percent of GDP is sufficient.
He stated that if he were to become prime minister again after elections in the fall, he would make it clear to the incoming U.S. president that a target of 5 percent of GDP is unrealistic for Czechia, which he claims is struggling to spend its defense budget as it is.
“We have 2 percent for defense and Defense Minister Jana Černochová is unable to spend it. She had to pay another deposit for the F-35 in December, which we don’t need,” the opposition leader told the broadcaster.
“If I were prime minister, I would explain to Donald Trump that 5 percent is unrealistic, that 2 percent is enough for us because our GDP is still rising.”
“I understand why he wants 5 percent. We had that debate in 2018. I was de facto responsible to him for the European Union. I explained to him that every country has a different GDP,” he added.
The populist politician, and one of Czechia’s richest men with an estimated net worth of $4.1 billion, leads the ANO party currently top of the polls ahead of parliamentary elections that must be held by October at the latest.
At 34 percent, the party could be on course to land itself a majority after the relevant restructuring and govern without the need for a coalition, making Babiš’ remarks of particular interest.
Trump, due to be inaugurated as U.S. president on Monday, has been vocal in demanding that NATO allies contribute more toward their own defense, claiming many nations are not helping themselves and placing an unacceptable burden on the United States to pay for their protection.
In a Jan. 7 press conference, Trump reinforced his long-standing position that European nations must increase their financial contributions. “They can all afford it. Europe is in for a tiny fraction of the money that we’re in,” he told journalists.
Babiš’ view could set him on a collision course with the new administration in Washington, especially as other European leaders are beginning to align with Trump’s demands. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala recently acknowledged the need for a broader discussion on increased military budgets, stating that “2 percent is the minimum today, but not all states even meet that.” He further argued that defense spending could serve as an economic stimulus, fostering industrial growth and technological development.
Similarly, Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has openly supported Trump’s proposal, describing it as an “ambitious but necessary” goal. In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that while reaching the 5 percent benchmark could take a decade, Trump’s insistence on increased military investment serves as an important “wake-up call” for NATO allies.
Europe will face a challenge in coming to terms with incoming President Trump, who is threatening the continent, especially the car industry, with trade tariffs, an article in Germany’s Die Zeit states, as reported by Mandiner.
“I love tariffs,” Trump has said over and over again in recent months, Die Zeit notes, mentioning that the president wants to raise import tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada by 25 percent. Such talk has Europe, especially Germany, on alert.
In 2023 alone, German goods worth around €158 billion were exported to the United States, nearly 10 percent of total German exports.
So, who will the EU use to influence Trump and be its chief negotiator? Officially, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is responsible for this task, but there is much talk about who could be more successful in this role. And one name that has come up is Hungary’s Orbán.
“We need to ask ourselves who Trump is willing to reasonably negotiate with on trade policy issues,” the German paper quotes Austrian economist Gabriel Felbermayr, noting that Felbermayr has introduced the idea of the EU sending Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Washington.
The economist also highlighted how critical the auto sector is in Hungary, with it set to be one of the biggest losers in a transatlantic trade war, giving extra incentive to Orbán to take on this role.
Orbán is generally against tariffs and warned the EU of an “economic cold war” with China over tariffs targeting electric vehicles.
However, the Hungarian leader may need further incentive to go to bat for the EU, given that Brussels has frozen billions in funding to the country and actively worked to remove Orbán from power.
German Green MEP Daniel Freund, an obsessive critic of Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán, recently held talks in Washington, D.C., according to Magyar Nemzet.
Details on Freund’s official EP profile show that at the end of October, just ahead of the U.S. presidential election, he met with several entities in D.C., including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), The German Marshall Fund, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Transparency International U.S., and the U.S. State Department.
The Hungarian newspaper asks how an MEP, representing an EU member state, is negotiating with a third country, outside the EU, without any authorization regarding Hungary.
Magyar Nemzet further states that USAID is known to work closely with the CIA and has been widely criticized for its influence peddling. At the end of 2022, the agency said that it would launch a new “Central Europe Program,” the portal points out, to strengthen civil society, increase the competitiveness and sustainability of “independent” media, and further develop the monitoring functions of various civil society organizations.
“Based on Freund’s activities so far, it is only conceivable that (he) represented an agenda that runs counter to Hungarian interests and sovereignty at the meeting organized before the Biden administration’s upcoming departure,” Magyar Nemzet writes.
Freund has cheered sanctions against Hungary, largely in part due to the government’s opposition to Brussels’ migration pact, and has actively lobbied for EU funds to be withheld from it. He has gone so far as to suggest Hungary simply leave the EU given its difference of opinion from the mainstream consensus in Brussels.
In one of his latest moves, Freund sent a letter to Charles Michel, when Michel was previously serving as president of the European Council, to suspend the Hungarian presidency, arguing that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán could not represent Europeans.
And in October, just a couple weeks before his trip to D.C., Freund called for Viktor Orbán to be arrested for corruption. “Who has ever stolen so much from European sources?” asked Freund.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who bet big on a Trump victory, is now making broad predictions about a “new golden age” for Hungary with Trump in the White House, while taking shots at Democrats and George Soros, including a promise to expel his organizations from Hungary.
“Everything will change, a different day will dawn over the Western world on Tuesday morning. The failed democratic governance in America will come to an end,” Magyar Nemzet reported Viktor Orbán as saying in his first interview this year with Kossuth Radio’s Good Morning Hungary! program.
Calling the Democratic Party and George Soros “a bunch of idiots,” Orbán claimed the Democrats want to force what they think is right on the world, including regarding migration, gender, and wa.
He further called U.S. Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman a “bully” who sought to “push Hungary into the globalist canon.”
“It is not in the Hungarian people’s thinking that a tyrant comes here and says that people from the other side of the world should come here and populate this region before us,” the Hungarian prime minister said, admitting that he “was not willing” to meet Pressman even once during his four-year tenure.
Regarding Antal Rogán being put on the U.S. sanctions list, Orbán said this actually strengthened Rogán’s position in the government and that the U.S. move proves the minister is doing his job well. Although Rogán’s official title is minister of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office; Orbán mentioned his job specifically as being related to Hungary’s “intelligence/secret services” (titkosszolgálatok).
Believing that a Trump administration heralds a “new golden age” for Hungary, Orbán said that his top priority for 2025 is to send George Soros back to the United States, with the “expulsion of the Soros network from Hungary” starting this spring. Orbán also expressed his hope that “patriots elsewhere” will also do the same.
“It must be shown that the Soros network’s presence in Europe is contrary to the interests of the people,” he stated. Stating that Brussels is in the pocket of George Soros, he said, “If there is corruption, this is it.”
Noting the start of a “new era in Brussels,” the prime minister said Brussels needs to “sober up” and “adapt.”
Although the prime minister lauded Hungary’s economic policy plans, he said they will only work if the war does not escalate and the sanctions policy is stopped. He also believes serious protective measures will be needed.
“Without Western money, there is no Ukraine. Ukrainian agriculture clashes with European agriculture, and its economy does not fit into the European system,” he added.
Promising jobs and wage increases for everyone, he sees the middle class growing stronger in 2025, highlighting Hungary’s financial reserve system to boost consumption. Orbán also noted that Hungarians save an average of 24 percent of their income, compared to the EU average of 14 percent.
Energy will, as for many countries, remain a concern, especially with ongoing sanctions and as Hungary’s nuclear plant expansion (Paks II) will not be completed until. 2030-2032. Thus, keeping the TurkStream pipeline open will be of key importance.
The United States has increased its imports of aircraft parts from Russia, despite harsh rhetoric from the U.S. in the past accusing other countries of “helping” Putin by purchasing goods and materials from Moscow.
The United States increased its imports of aircraft parts from Russia to the highest level in three years in November, RIA Novosti calculated based on US. .customs data, suggesting that the Russian business is also profitable overseas.
At the end of last month, the value of Russian exports to the United States amounted to $7.6 million, the highest monthly value since February 2022. This is a 1.6-fold increase compared to November of the previous year.
In the first eleven months of 2024, component purchases totaled $31.4 million, compared to $30.6 million a year earlier.
In November, Americans were most interested in aircraft landing gear and parts, which were worth $6.97 million, and other parts for aircraft, helicopters or drones, which amounted to $586,100.
In November, the main suppliers of parts to the United States were the United Kingdom ($281 million), France ($195 million) and Canada ($146 million).
America is thus doing significant business with Moscow while imposing sanctions on others. As we reported earlier, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also pointed out: The sanctions now implemented in the energy sector by the outgoing U.S. administration could lead to a serious increase in fuel prices in Central Europe.
U.S. President Joe Biden and the U.S. administration have imposed punitive measures against the Serbian Oil Company (NIS) due to its more than 50 percent Russian ownership.
In the past, Remix News highlighted how the U.S. was a top buyer of Russian uranium, despite criticizing Hungary for relying on Russian oil and gas.
At a press conference in Rome earlier this year, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that Elon Musk’s political posts on X do not pose a threat to democracy; while oligarch George Soros, however, continuously interferes in the politics of other nations, according to Italy’s leader.
“The problem is when wealthy people use their resources to finance parties, associations and political exponents all over the world to influence the political choices of nation states”, Meloni told reporters at an annual press conference. “That’s not what Musk is doing,” she added.
“Elon Musk financed an election campaign in his country, by his candidate, in a system in which, by the way, I would point out that this is quite common,” Meloni said. “But I am not aware of Elon Musk financing parties, associations or political exponents around the world. This, for example, is what George Soros does.”
“And yes, I consider that to be dangerous interference in the affairs of nation states and in their sovereignty,” she noted.
Meloni also pointed to other wealthy people actively funding parties and NGOs around the world to influence local policies. Musk, she said, is a very rich man who expresses his opinion and does not pose a threat to democracy.
“Is the problem that Elon Musk is influential and rich or that he is not left-wing?” asked Meloni.
She also noted that she and many others on the right are not financially dependent on Musk, unlike many on the left who are funded by Soros, or have been funded by him over the years.
Meloni denied ever taking any money from Musk, “unlike those who have taken it from Soros”.
She also denied various media reports that her government is on the verge of signing a massive deal with Musk’s company SpaceX. However, even if that were true, signing a business deal is far different than receiving financial aid for political activities, which is behavior that Soros often partakes in with his beneficiaries.
“Is the problem with Musk that he’s rich and influential, or that he’s not leftist?” the Italian prime minister asked.
In response to a journalist’s question, Meloni also spoke about Elon Musk’s open support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD). Meloni stressed that if anyone tried to influence the Italian elections, it was Germany, under the then Social Democratic-Liberal-Green government.
“I would like to remind you of the German side’s interference in the Italian election campaign,” Meloni said, referring to previous German concerns about the right-wing position she represented.
Soros has long been a controversial figure due to his outsized role in the politics of nations around the world, however, few on the left-liberal spectrum ever criticized this interference. Soros has also long called for the removal of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, with both figures antagonistic towards each other over the years.
In the wake of the United States sanctioning Antal Rogán, the minister in charge of Prime Minister Orbán’s cabinet office, the Mandiner news portal assesses the case as highly unusual.
The official statement from the U.S. Treasury Department quotes Bradley T. Smith, the Treasury Department’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, as saying: “The United States will not hesitate to hold accountable individuals, like Rogan, who use the power of their office to illicitly enrich themselves and their cronies at the expense of their country and their fellow citizens.”
The justification does not contain specific cases, but writes about general corruption, referring to the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index. This index was prepared by Transparency International (TI), which receives support from organizations affiliated with the United States Department of State and George Soros, among others.
The sanctions action taken by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) was based on Presidential Executive Order 13818, which implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
The Magnitsky Act allows the United States to impose sanctions on individuals for either corruption or human rights abuses. As Human Rights First describes it, the U.S. Congress passed the original Magnitsky Act in 2012 in response to the death in custody of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian tax consultant who exposed a massive tax fraud scheme. The Magnitsky Act authorized the United States to impose sanctions on Russians involved in Magnitsky’s brutal detention and other human rights abuses against activists. Interestingly, the law does not define exactly what corruption means.
Between 2017 and 2023, the United States sanctioned 650 foreign individuals citing the law.
Even the soon-to-be-departing Pressman admitted that Antal Rogán’s sanctioning was unprecedented: “It is not common for the United States to designate a sitting minister. Even less common to do so in an Allied country.”
How unprecedented the case is, is well illustrated by the company in which the Biden administration placed the Hungarian minister.
People are usually put on the sanctions list for very serious reasons. Former Afghan parliamentarian Ajmal Rahmani, for example, was sanctioned in 2023 for allegedly mismanaging U.S. government aid intended for the reconstruction of his war-torn country and then building an extensive business and real estate empire in Germany and Dubai.
Under the Trump administration, a European politician was sanctioned as well. In December 2019, the U.S. government sanctioned Latvian politician Aivars Lembergs for money laundering, embezzlement, bribery, and abuse of office. Four entities owned or controlled by Lembergs were also designated, including the Ventspils Freeport Authority, which operated a major international port.
In 2021, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against three Bulgarian individuals: former parliamentarian Delyan Peevski, prominent businessman Vasil Bozhkov, and former national security official Ilko Zhelyazkov. In addition, 64 entities allegedly associated with them were also sanctioned, Radio Free Europe reported.
Each of the cases mentioned above clearly shows that usually when someone is put on a sanctions list for corruption, their accomplices are also sanctioned, as well as the companies involved.
The Biden administration has a history of using the Justice Department and Democratic prosecutors against its own political opponents, so it is not surprising that it is using sanctions against the Hungarian government. The timing of the sanctions is also telling, as Joe Biden’s government will leave in two weeks, so this decision can be interpreted as a diplomatic slap in the face.
