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Moscow imposed a new sanction on beauty products, but Hungary was exempted
Russia has imposed a new round of sanctions on countries considered "unfriendly" or "hostile" to Russia. Hungary, as a member of the EU and NATO, has been the target of sanctions until now, but in a sanction that came into force in April and is valid until December, Hungary was exempted from the sanctions, along with Slovakia and South Korea, Hungarian news outlet Telex reports.
The decision refers to sanctions on cosmetics. Although Hungary and Slovakia are unlikely to export many cosmetics products to the Russian market, the measure is still noteworthy. The regulation, which is only four pages long, declares that it targets states that infringe the economic interests of the Russian Federation. There are several groups of products, such as fragrances, lip care products and hair care products, where Hungary, Slovakia and South Korea are exempt from customs duties.
According to Telex, in the case of Hungary and Slovakia, the beauty industry considers this to be a diplomatic gesture.
Sweden would welcome up to 40,000 Hungarian LGBTQ immigrants, Swedish Trade Minister says
At a panel discussion on the Swedish government's new strategy to improve the country's image, the trade minister said:"Sweden is an open and freedom-loving country that would welcome with open arms up to 40,000 gay Hungarian immigrants should be reinforced," Local reports
According to Benjamin Dousa, more and more countries are moving in an authoritarian direction and raising tariffs, isolating themselves, but Sweden must respond with openness and inclusiveness.
According to Dousa, people are expected to come not only from Hungary, where Pride is banned, but also from the US. Dousea said that 40,000 workers from the US tech industry and academia would be admitted at any given time, and that they had already reduced the immigration administration to 100 days.
Former Polish deputy minister hired by Orban-adjacent think-tank
Marcin Romanowski, Poland’s former deputy justice minister who fled corruption charges and was granted asylum in Hungary, has been appointed head of a newly created institute at a government-funded Budapest think tank with close ties to the Orban administration, HVG reports.
The Center for Fundamental Rights announced that Romanowski will lead the newly launched Hungarian-Polish Institute of Freedom. Though the institute claims to explore shared legal and political values between the two nations, its mission reads more like rallying for Poland’s right wing, which lost power in 2023. Its inaugural research warns of supposed threats from Hungarian "globalists" ahead of the 2026 election.
In a statement invoking the 1939 invasion of Poland, the think-tank drew parallels between wartime refugees and Romanowski—though he is facing 18 criminal charges at home, including embezzlement and running a criminal group. His alleged abuse of the Justice Fund, intended to help former prisoners, has drawn criticism even from PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński.
Budapest energy deal with Washington in the works
Hungary is preparing to pivot its relationship with the United States toward business and energy cooperation, a senior Hungarian official has said.
Speaking after a meeting in Washington with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Levente Magyar, Hungary’s parliamentary state secretary for foreign affairs, said future ties would focus on “tangible” results rather than political messaging.
The talks also included planning for a potential meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the US president, signalling Budapest’s desire to consolidate ties with Washington.