In a significant political shift, election posters in Budapest have prominently featured images of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alongside Péter Magyar, signalling a new era in Hungarian-Ukrainian relations. Ukraine has expressed relief at the defeat of Viktor Orbán, who was the country's most vocal critic within the European Union, a development that could unlock crucial financial support for Kyiv.
Magyar's Stance on Russia and Ukraine
Péter Magyar, Hungary's newly elected leader, has announced he would ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the killing in Ukraine if they were to speak. In his first news conference following a landslide victory over Putin ally Viktor Orbán, Magyar stated, "If Vladimir Putin calls, I'll pick up the phone." He elaborated, "If we did talk, I could tell him that it would be nice to end the killing after four years and end the war. It would probably be a short phone conversation and I don't think he would end the war on my advice."
Magyar emphasised that while he would talk to the Russian president, he would not initiate contact. Additionally, he plans to review Hungary's Russian energy contracts and renegotiate them if necessary, marking a potential departure from Orbán's policies.
Implications for Ukraine and the EU
Ukraine welcomed Orbán's defeat with relief on Monday, as it paves the way for a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan that Kyiv urgently needs to fund its war against Russia. This financial injection is critical for Ukraine's military and economic stability amidst ongoing conflict.
Andriy Pyshnyi, governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, warned on Monday that higher oil prices caused by the war in the Middle East could raise inflation rates in Ukraine by 1.5 to 2.8 percentage points. Pyshnyi affirmed the central bank's commitment to lowering inflation to 5% within three years, using all available tools. "We're trying to walk on a razorblade," he said through an interpreter, noting that prices have already begun to rise.
Military and International Developments
On the military front, the Ukrainian military struck a Russian chemicals plant in Cherepovets in the Vologda region, according to Kyiv's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi. The plant produces chemicals that serve as raw materials for TNT, hexogen, and components for munitions, Brovdi stated on Telegram.
In international sports, World Aquatics announced on Monday that Russian and Belarusian athletes will be permitted to compete in its events with their respective uniforms, flags, and anthems. Competitors from both countries had been banned from international sports events following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which was launched in part from Belarusian territory.
Boris Johnson's Critique of Western Support
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has criticised the "delay" and "timidity" in helping Ukraine after a 72-hour trip through the country for a documentary. Johnson travelled beyond Kyiv to the "kill zone" near Zaporizhzhia, witnessing the war firsthand. He asserted that Ukraine can and will win the war but lamented, "we are risibly failing to live up to our pledges" to the country.
This political realignment in Hungary, coupled with ongoing military and economic challenges, underscores the complex dynamics shaping the conflict in Ukraine and its broader implications for European stability.
