Our Scans · Budapest · Weekly Summary

• Over in Brussels, Hungary's continued support for Putin could trigger the EU's nuclear option under Article 7, stripping Budapest of voting rights due to Viktor Orban's obstruction of aid and sanctions. Global Post Headline
• While European leaders have pledged that the global minimum tax will be implemented in the coming months with or without the agreement of Hungary, Budapest's obstruction will at least delay EU approval, which had been expected to be unanimous. Center for American Progress
• EU countries could use bilateral deals rather than EU structures such as the European Peace Facility to send military aid to Ukraine - effectively freezing out Budapest. Politico
• The audience of the Budapest Hydrogen Summit will hear about the experiences of MOL Group, which handed over a 10-megawatt capacity green hydrogen plant - the largest in Central and Eastern Europe - in Szazhalombatta a year ago. CEENERGYNEWS
• The highest chance for snow in Budapest is between January and February, but weather patterns can be unpredictable and sometimes it can even snow in March. Travelling Mandala
• At least in Hungary and Slovakia stated that the European Commission began to explore various options after Budapest and Bratislava threatened to block the extension of sanctions against Russia. EADaily
• EU member states have agreed to unlock an €18bn funding package for Ukraine after Hungary dropped its veto as part of a wider political bargain giving Budapest the potential to access billions of euros of EU cash. ESADE
• EU countries could seize on Hungary's latest legal changes to conditionally approve Budapest's national recovery spending plan worth 5.8 billion euros and lower from 7.5 billion the value of other funds to be frozen. Euronews.com
• The latest offer is a good solution for Hungary, but insisted Budapest will still fight for a guarantee that if something happens to its pipeline oil, it would retain the right to get oil via maritime and other routes. Politico
• The Budapest Memorandum reaffirms the commitment of the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. War on the Rocks
• A collective shrug - and the whispered promise that Brussels will unfreeze €13 billion for Hungary in exchange for Budapest implementing reforms to bring it into line with EU rule-of-law standards. Politico
• Dangling a carrot: In parallel, the Commission plans to recommend that EU countries approve Hungary's recovery plan - the contract detailing how Budapest would spend €5.8 billion in grants, if it ever receives them. Politico
• Hungary cannot survive without Russian oil, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has warned, stressing that Ukraine's decision to suspend transit poses a serious challenge for Budapest. The Automatic Earth
• There are reports from other capitals that intelligence services are increasingly skeptical about cooperating with Hungary out of fear that sensitive information could flow directly to Moscow through Budapest. Der Spiegel
• Hungary, for its part, has accused Ukraine of curbing the rights of roughly 150,000 ethnic Hungarians living in its far west, charges Kiev denies while saying it will do what it can to address Budapest's concerns. Al Jazeera
• The European Commission released €10 billion (£8.5 billion) in funds to Budapest which were frozen over fears of democratic deterioration ahead of last December's summit, in a bid to end Hungary's veto over the aid for Ukraine. The Telegraph
• Another threat aimed at Budapest could be invoking Article 7 of the Treaty On European Union, which would essentially strip Hungary of voting rights in the Council of the European Union, where government ministers from member states convene to amend and adopt laws and coordinate policies. RFE/RL
• EU leaders are expected to reaffirm their support to Ukraine, both military and financially, but Budapest is also not on board with the EU Commission's plan to grant €50bn in financial aid for Kiev. euobserver
• The European Commission has been urged not to appease Viktor Orban by unfreezing billions of euros for Budapest, as the Hungarian prime minister threatens to derail EU plans to open accession talks with Ukraine and grant Kiev fresh aid. The Guardian
• Orban's critics are growing increasingly concerned that the EU will unfreeze some of the funds for Hungary in an attempt to convince Budapest to approve the agreement on financial aid for Ukraine and start EU accession talks. Ukrainska Pravda
• In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban is threatening to withhold another EU financial package to Ukraine-his latest move in the standoff with Brussels, which is withholding €22 billion ($24 billion) worth of cohesion funds to Budapest over rule-of-law concerns. Carnegie Europe
• Financed by the Export-Import Bank of China, the railway line will span almost 350 km and will connect Budapest to Belgrade. The Star

Last updated: 26 June 2025