Tens of thousands of Viktor Orban supporters marched in Budapest on Thursday to show support for the nationalist premier on a key Hungarian anniversary, as he faces the most acute threat to his 15-year rule from a pro-EU opposition party ahead of 2026 elections.
The commemoration of Hungary's 1956 anti-Soviet uprising that was crushed by the Red Army comes at a delicate time for Orban, who has opposed the EU's policy of providing military aid to Ukraine against Russia's invasion, and has also kept good ties with the Kremlin despite the rest of the EU seeking to isolate Moscow.
Orban, a long-time Trump ally, who has campaigned on wanting peace in Ukraine for years without saying at what price for its neighbour, was also pinning great hopes on a flagged summit in Budapest between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But late on Wednesday Trump cancelled the summit citing a lack of progress in diplomatic efforts and a sense that the timing was off, and also slapped sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, in an effort to starve Moscow of vital revenues.
Hungary is heavily reliant on Russian crude and it was not immediately clear whether the U.S. measures would affect its oil supply. The government did not reply to emailed Reuters questions.
Orban, who will address the rally at 1100 GMT, said earlier on Thursday that the "day of the Budapest Peace March has come."
"Today we send a message to the whole world: Hungary says NO to war! We will not die for Ukraine. We will not send our children to the slaughterhouse at Brussels’ command," Orban tweeted on social media.
As his supporters marched over the Danube - on a day when the European Union holds a summit in Brussels -- with a banner saying "We do not want to die for Ukraine", some participants said protecting Hungary's sovereignty was paramount.
"Hungary's sovereignty is under threat today from several directions, as for myself, I think the biggest threat comes from the imperial aspirations of the European Union," said Andras Kozak in the crowd.
Orban faces elections likely in April 2026, and the new centre-right, pro-EU Tisza party of Peter Magyar, a former government insider, leads most opinion polls. Magyar will address an opposition rally in Budapest later in the day.
Magyar has accused Orban of running an increasingly authoritarian and corrupt government. The government has denied such allegations but Magyar has tapped into voter frustrations with Orban, especially as the economy is just barely growing after an inflation shock.
As Kazakhstan becomes the latest nation to join the Abraham Accords on Friday, here's all you need to know about the agreement and why it matters....
Bolivian President-elect Rodrigo Paz was sworn in as the country's new President on Saturday ending almost 20 years of one-party rule....
A tornado accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain struck the southern Brazilian state of Parana, killing six people, the state government said on S...
Peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan broke down, although a ceasefire continues between the South Asian neighbours, a Taliban spokesperson sai...
UPS and FedEx have grounded their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes after a deadly crash at UPS's Worldport hub in Louisville, Kentucky, ...
As Kazakhstan becomes the latest nation to join the Abraham Accords on Friday, here's all you need to know about the agreement and why it matters.
Bolivian President-elect Rodrigo Paz was sworn in as the country's new President on Saturday ending almost 20 years of one-party rule.
A tornado accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain struck the southern Brazilian state of Parana, killing six people, the state government said on Saturday.
Peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan broke down, although a ceasefire continues between the South Asian neighbours, a Taliban spokesperson said on Saturday.
Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga lead the 2026 Grammy nominations, while K-Pop enters the Song of the Year category for the first time in the award’s history.
Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon after ordering evacuations, accusing Hezbollah of rebuilding its forces despite a year-old ceasefire, as Lebanon and the United Nations warned of renewed border tensions.
U.S. Senate Republicans have blocked a resolution that would have barred President Donald Trump from launching military action against Venezuela without congressional approval, despite growing concern over recent U.S. strikes in the southern Caribbean.
Despite promises of recovery from the new government, Germany’s economy continues to stagnate, with no signs of renewed momentum. According to the latest report from the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), the country still lacks the drive needed for a genuine economic rebound.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk won shareholder approval on Thursday for the largest corporate pay package in history as investors endorsed his vision of morphing the electric vehicle (EV) maker into an artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics juggernaut.
As Kazakhstan becomes the latest nation to join the Abraham Accords on Friday, here's all you need to know about the agreement and why it matters.
Bolivian President-elect Rodrigo Paz was sworn in as the country's new President on Saturday ending almost 20 years of one-party rule.
A tornado accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain struck the southern Brazilian state of Parana, killing six people, the state government said on Saturday.
Peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan broke down, although a ceasefire continues between the South Asian neighbours, a Taliban spokesperson said on Saturday.
UPS and FedEx have grounded their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes after a deadly crash at UPS's Worldport hub in Louisville, Kentucky, which killed 14 people, including three pilots. The incident is under investigation by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment