00:00Dear friends,
00:02the election,
00:04although it is not entirely,
00:06it is not understood and
00:08is not understood.
00:09The election is not understood.
00:12It is a fair,
00:14but not understood
00:16that it is a
00:17the government's responsibility
00:18and the possibility
00:20of our future.
00:22Thank you very much.
00:40After years of deadlock, political brinkmanship, and stalled decisions, Europe may finally
00:47be turning a corner.
00:48EU leaders are breathing a sigh of relief after the crushing election defeat of Viktor
00:53Orbán, from blocking aid to Ukraine, to slowing sanctions on Russia. Orbán had become Brussels' biggest
01:00obstacle. Now, with his rival Peter Magyar preparing to take power, the big question is, how quickly
01:08can Europe move again?
01:35At the top of the list, a desperately-needed
01:3890 billion euro loan for Ukraine. A deal that was stalled, not by war conditions, but by
01:45politics. Orbán held the loan hostage, making opposition to Kaiv a key election issue. He
01:52even tied his veto to a dispute over a damaged pipeline carrying Russian oil through Ukraine,
01:58despite initially approving the plan.
02:01The move enraged EU leaders. Now Magyar could unlock the loan quickly. Not as a strong supporter
02:09of Ukraine, but as a signal to rebuild trust with Brussels. But this isn't a one-sided deal.
02:15Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may also need to ease tensions, especially over
02:21the pipeline dispute. Sooner or later, this has to resolve itself. Hopefully sooner, said a EU diplomat.
02:39Next, sanctions on Moscow. Despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Orbán maintained close ties with
02:46Vladimir Putin. Critics accused him of acting like a Trojan horse for the Kremlin inside the EU. Hungary
02:53repeatedly delayed sanctions packages, and during the election campaign, blocked yet another round.
03:00Now, Magyar could change that stance. If he does, only one major EU leader may remain resisting,
03:08Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico.
03:20Then comes the long game. Ukraine's bid to join the European Union. Orbán was firmly against it,
03:29blocking even early-stage negotiations. Now, with him on the way out, Hungary could allow talks to move
03:36forward. Specifically, opening negotiation clusters, steps EU officials say Ukraine is ready for.
03:43But don't expect a sudden shift. Magyar has promised a referendum on Ukraine's membership
03:49and remains cautious. We shouldn't expect Hungary to become super pro-Ukraine membership,
03:54said a senior EU diplomat. And with Orbán gone, other hesitant EU countries may no longer stay silent.
04:02The end of Hungarian obstruction does not mean acceleration, said Sebastian Magyar from the Jacques
04:10Delors think tank.
04:20This shift isn't just about Ukraine. It's also about Hungary's economy.
04:25The EU froze around 18 billion euros over concerns about democracy, corruption and LGBTQ rights.
04:34Now, Magyar faces a race against time. He must push reforms quickly to unlock 10 billion euros in Covid
04:42recovery funds, or lose them permanently. Brussels could move fast, just as it did for Poland's
04:49Donald Tusk. It would give Magyar an enormous boost, said an EU diplomat.
05:03And finally, something harder to measure, the mood inside Europe. Orbán's confrontational style
05:10had strained trust for years. Now, officials hope for a more constructive atmosphere.
05:16I think everyone will welcome Magyar with renewed enthusiasm, an EU official said. But this doesn't
05:23mean unity. Magyar is unlikely to say yes to everything, and will want to avoid being seen as
05:29Brussels' puppet. From a 90 billion euro lifeline, to sanctions on Russia, to billions frozen in EU funds,
05:37one election in Hungary could re-shape Europe's future.
05:43The UNFORM, has connected to UNFORM, a connection between America and the US, to the UNFORM, a
05:43is a financialικist, the UNFORM. A UNFORM. A UNFORM. A UNFORM. BOW. A UNFORM. A UNFORM. BOW. A UNFORM.
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