As PM Orbán assures the European Union that Hungary ’is part of the joint EU stance’, media outlets are cautiously dramatic in reporting Russia’s decision to send troops into eastern Ukraine, after President Putin recognised the independence of the two breakaway regions. READ MORE
Pundits right across the political spectrum try to see through the smokescreen in order to make sense of the Ukraine crisis, and gauge the potential scenarios which may develop, and their possible implications for Hungary. READ MORE
A left-wing commentator thinks that President Putin’s demand that NATO pull back from Eastern Europe (to the 1997 status quo) means the Hungarian government can no longer sit on the fence. A pro-government pundit accuses those who side with Ukraine of treason. READ MORE
A pro-government commentator thinks that PM Orbán managed to broker important economic deals with President Putin. A liberal commentator, on the other hand, thinks that President Putin used the Hungarian leader’s visit for propaganda purposes. READ MORE
On the day of Prime Minister Orbán’s visit to Moscow, a conservative commentator welcomes the Hungarian government’s efforts to de-escalate the Ukraine crisis, and stay out of the – for now – diplomatic conflict between the US and Russia. READ MORE
A liberal and a conservative weekly disagree on the chances of a serious military conflict between Russia and Ukraine – and by implication, on the message the Hungarian Prime Minister is sending by visiting Moscow on Tuesday. READ MORE
A liberal commentator finds it highly controversial of Prime Minister Orbán to pay a visit to Russian President Putin at a time when relations between NATO and the EU and Moscow are so tense. A pro-government analyst thinks that Hungary can and should take a pragmatic approach to Russia. READ MORE
A foreign policy analyst interprets the statements following the meeting between the two presidents as proof that the United States has given up on its plans to integrate Ukraine into NATO – at least for the moment. READ MORE
A left-wing commentator believes that by using brute force against Navalny and his supporters, President Putin has lost all credibility, and he stands no chance of winning another election. A pro-government analyst disagrees. READ MORE
A political analyst is certain that the Russian opposition leader was poisoned by state actors but doesn’t believe that the Kremlin is directly responsible. READ MORE