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Katalin Novák meets Desantis after State of the State Address
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met Hungarian President Katalin Novák on Tuesday after his State of the State Address in Tallahassee. Novak, a close ally to nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban also spoke with the Governor's wife, Casey DeSantis.
According to the Hungarian news agency's (MTI) report, the "warm and trusting conversation" was based on the fact that the Hungarian President and the Florida governor share similar views on protecting families, parents' right to education, and border security. Novak congratulated the Governor on his successes in politics and the development of Florida. DeSantis praised Hungary's achievements and the President's work, highlighting her "efforts to protect families".
DeSantis did not mention the meeting on his social media channels.
Ukrainian Deputy FM says Hungary is supporting ‘the destruction of the Ukrainian nation.'
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis in an interview with SME Svet said that Kyiv is displeased with Hungary's attitude towards Ukraine. Perebyinis said the main issue is that Hungary is 'blocking sanctions against Russia' and 'preventing the Ukraine-Nato Commission meeting'.
The deputy FM also criticized Hungary's position on the war, saying Budapest's position is that "the way to peace for Ukraine is to stop resisting Russia. We all know what would happen in that case: Ukraine would cease to exist. Putin's goal is to occupy Ukraine and the destruction of the Ukrainian nation. (...) Hungary should call on Moscow to end the aggression and withdraw its troops from Ukraine. That's when the war will end."
Perebyinis told the Slovakian newspaper that the help came too late and that Ukraine has expressed its concerns earlier. " If Ukraine had received the supply in March last year, the situation would be very different today."
Bill on Medical Chamber could further delay EU funds for Hungary
The bill on the Hungarian Medical Chamber (MOK) passed last week could further delay or threaten EU funding for Hungary, Hungarian daily, Nepszava reports.
"The recent bill adopted by the Hungarian Parliament and the way it was presented could be decisive about the fulfillment of Hungary's commitments," the European Commission told Nepszava.
On Tuesday, the Hungarian Parliament passed a law in record time scrapping doctors of their MOK membership. The bill is aimed to abolish mandatory chamber membership for doctors. It means that until now, only MOK members were able to work either as general practitioners or in hospitals. From now on, this step will no longer be essential, and current MOK members will have to declare their intention to continue as members.
Orban says he supports China's peace plan for Ukraine
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says his country supports China's peace plan for Ukraine. Orban talked about Beijing's proposal during a Monday parliamentary session. His words are countering US and EU leaders' stance, who had previously dismissed the Chinese peace proposal.
"Any proposal that can advance peace is something worth looking at. We’re taking a look at it," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABC's Good Morning America. "But you know there are 12 points in the Chinese plan. If they were serious about the first one, sovereignty, then this war could end tomorrow," Blinken said. "China has been trying to have it both ways: It’s, on the one hand, trying to present itself publicly as neutral and seeking peace, while at the same time, it is talking up Russia’s false narrative about the war, he added"
Speaking to reporters in Estonia last week, NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the proposal “doesn’t have much credibility because they have not been able to condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine.”