quote:

In April 2023, prior to and in commemoration of Pope Francis's pastoral visit to Hungary, Novák issued a series of presidential pardons, including that the far-right activist György Budaházy[14] and Endre Kónya. Kónya had been the deputy director of an orphanage in Bicske who had been convicted of covering up the director's molesting of children at the institution. When Kónya's pardon—later thought to have been issued under pressure from Zoltán Balog, Novák's erstwhile mentor and synodal president of the Hungarian Reformed Church[15]—was made public on 2 February 2024, national controversy ensued, becoming known as the "pardon affair" (Hungarian: kegyelmi-ügy).[16] Protests erupted in Budapest demanding Novák's resignation,[17] with commentators viewing the scandal as especially damaging to Fidesz's credibility as a defender of traditional family values.

Nenonen posted:

Moon Slayer posted:

Imagine your reaction if someone in 2021 claimed that in three years Finland and Sweden would be NATO members.

Dull Fork posted:

Could this be a subtle attempt to let the question go unanswered, because the answer (that Ukraine did it) would be uncomfortable to reckon with?

spankmeister posted:

It could. It also couldn't. In absence of any solid evidence we can only speculate.

Nenonen posted:

It still needs to be signed by the new president (chosen by the parliament right after the ratification). Which will be a guaranteed thing, but it's just that at the last minute a surprise hitch was presented when the Hungarian president had to resign due to pardoning a protector of child molesters.

This is the new acting president

OddObserver posted:

Also unlike with a BTR you're not going to suffer further injuries from being folded into a pretzel to fit.

quote:

Western troops on the ground in Ukraine is not ‘ruled out’ in the future, French leader says

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that sending Western troops on the ground in Ukraine is not “ruled out” in the future after the issue was debated at a gathering of European leaders in Paris, as Russia’s full-scale invasion grinds into a third year.

The French leader said that “we will do everything needed so Russia cannot win the war” after the meeting of over 20 European heads of state and government and other Western officials.

“There’s no consensus today to send in an official, endorsed manner troops on the ground. But in terms of dynamics, nothing can be ruled out,” Macron said in a news conference at the Elysee presidential palace.

Macron declined to provide details about which nations were considering sending troops, saying he prefers to maintain some “strategic ambiguity.”

The meeting included German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Poland’s President Andrzej Duda as well as leaders from the Baltic nations. The United States was represented by its top diplomat for Europe, James O’Brien, and the U.K. by Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

Duda said the most heated discussion was about whether to send troops to Ukraine and “there was no agreement on the matter. Opinions differ here, but there are no such decisions.”

Poland’s president said he hopes that “in the nearest future, we will jointly be able to prepare substantial shipments of ammunition to Ukraine. This is most important now. This is something that Ukraine really needs.”

Macron earlier called on European leaders to ensure the continent’s “collective security” by providing unwavering support to Ukraine in the face of tougher Russian offensives on the battlefield in recent months.

“In recent months particularly, we have seen Russia getting tougher,” Macron said.

Macron cited the need to solidify security to head off any Russian attacks on additional countries in the future. Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia as well as much larger Poland have been considered among possible targets of future Russian expansionism. All four countries are staunch supporters of Ukraine.

Estonia’s foreign minister said earlier this month that NATO has about three or four years to strengthen its defenses.

In video speech, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the leaders gathered in Paris to “ensure that Putin cannot destroy our achievements and cannot expand his aggression to other nations.”

Several European countries, including France, expressed their support for an initiative launched by the Czech Republic to buy ammunition and shells outside the EU, participants to the meeting said.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said his country decided to provide over 100 million euros for that purpose.

In addition, a new coalition is to be launched to further “mobilize” nations with capabilities to deliver medium and long-range missiles, Macron said, as France announced last month the delivery of 40 additional long-range Scalp cruise missiles.

European nations are worried that the U.S. will dial back support as aid for Kyiv is teetering in Congress. They also have concerns that former U.S. President Donald Trump might return to the White House and change the course of U.S. policy on the continent.

The Paris conference comes after France, Germany and the U.K. recently signed 10-year bilateral agreements with Ukraine to send a strong signal of long-term backing as Kyiv works to shore up Western support.

Mr. Apollo posted:

Macron said he can't rule out sending Western troops into Ukraine. Reading through the article, it's very vague and hypothetical. However, it does seem to be a level of sabre rattling we haven't seen before from Europe.

https://apnews.com/article/paris-conference-support-ukraine-zelenskyy-c458a1df3f9a7626128cdeb84050d469

Kestral posted:

It’s also total nonsense and will never happen, and Russia must know that. Who on earth is this messaging meant for?

Kestral posted:

It’s also total nonsense and will never happen, and Russia must know that. Who on earth is this messaging meant for?

Kestral posted:

It’s also total nonsense and will never happen, and Russia must know that. Who on earth is this messaging meant for?

Deltasquid posted:

Is it really? If I were certain that I’d have to fight Russia within the next 5 years, I would rather do it next year in Ukraine than in Poland in 2028.

“Surely, this is all just posturing and nobody would follow through with their threats” I repeat to myself since 1 february 2022 and yet here we are

DarklyDreaming posted:

-Right wing politicians around the world have started falling in line behind Putin, which turned the war into a partisan issue in nearly every democracy

Deltasquid posted:

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russia-bans-gasoline-exports-6-months-march-1-2024-02-27/

Russia decided to sanction itself, it seems. Lol that they are blaming it on high demand instead of (presumably) Ukrainians blowing up the supply.

Nenonen posted:

It still needs to be signed by the new president (chosen by the parliament right after the ratification). Which will be a guaranteed thing, but it's just that at the last minute a surprise hitch was presented when the Hungarian president had to resign due to pardoning a protector of child molesters.

This is the new acting president

Nenonen posted:

Well, well, well... there was an expectation that Sweden would join NATO this Friday. But now there's another hitch in Hungary: the new standing president will be sworn in next Tuesday, and it remains to be seen when he actually signs the bill. So it might take another couple of weeks to take effect.

But that man has a trustworthy face, I'm not concerned. I would buy ice cream from him.

Vincent Van Goatse posted:

I would eat his family goulash recipe.

Kestral posted:

It’s also total nonsense and will never happen, and Russia must know that. Who on earth is this messaging meant for?

Gravitas Shortfall posted:

boy I sure do love to be living in a time where nations are preparing for a major ground war in Europe but don't worry guys it definitely won't happen who would be crazy enough to do that

Nenonen posted:

Well, well, well... there was an expectation that Sweden would join NATO this Friday. But now there's another hitch in Hungary: the new standing president will be sworn in next Tuesday, and it remains to be seen when he actually signs the bill. So it might take another couple of weeks to take effect.

But that man has a trustworthy face, I'm not concerned. I would buy ice cream from him.

GABA ghoul posted:

Eastern Europe will have to "arrange" itself with Russia and Russia can demand all kinds of concessions that will make continued EU membership impossible, like guaranteed market access for Russian goods or international "non-alignment" with any military alliance block (which the EU is). Afd and Le Pen will gladly blow up the rest of what's left and try to replace it with some "European Economic Commonwealth of independent Christian nations".

Charlz Guybon posted:

Russia has proven itself so weak that Poland by itself intervening in the Ukraine war would win it outright. Eastern Europe won't have to do anything.

quote:

Moldova: Breakaway Transnistria asks Russia for 'protection'

Pro-Moscow separatist officials in Moldova's breakaway Transnistria region have appealed to Russia for "protection."

Pro-Russian officials in the Transnistria region of Moldova on Thursday called for help from Moscow "in the face of increased pressure."

The call follows fears that tensions over the territory could open a new flashpoint in Moscow's conflict with neighboring Ukraine.

Why was the appeal made?

A special congress of the region is understood to have passed a resolution on the issue on Wednesday.

Officials are set to ask Russia's Federation Council and the State Duma "to implement measures to protect Transnistria in the face of increased pressure from Moldova," local media reported the resolution as saying.

The cogress said the Moldovan government had unleashed "economic war" on the region, blocking crucial imports and seeking to turn it into a "ghetto".

Transnistria had been secretive about the reason for holding a special congress, only the seventh in its history and the first since 2006. That congress saw deputies announce a referendum on integrating with Russia, a vote that resulted in an overwhelming majority in favor.

However, it did say that officials would address a deepening row over customs duties with the Moldovan government.

"The decisions of the current congress cannot be ignored by the international community," the "foreign policy chief" of the self-styled republic, Vitaly Ignatiev, told the meeting. Ignatiev did not indicate what those decisions would be.

What is Transnistria?

The small and mainly Russian-speaking sliver of land is sandwiched between the Dniester River and the Ukraine border.

Transnistria unilaterally broke away from Moldova following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Separatists fought a war with Moldova's pro-Western government in 1992, ending with hundreds of deaths and the Russian army's intervention on the side of the separatists.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moldova has feared that Russia could use Transnistria to force open a new front in the southwest, toward Odesa.

Moscow is accused of seeking to destabilize Moldova, which gained official candidate status for European Union membership in June 2022.

Meanwhile, the territory's pro-Russian leadership accuses Kyiv of plotting to attack it.

small butter posted:

This is the one thought I keep having.

Russia is in a much worse position now than they were before the war. One reason is that they showed themselves to be a very weak militarily. They used to be known as the second most powerful military in the world but I doubt too many people believe that now. They must understand this as well. I just see any NATO country entering the war and just destroying Russia.

Mr. Apollo posted:

Transnistria just asked Russia for protection citing unprecedented challenges and threats.

https://www.dw.com/en/moldova-breakaway-transnistria-asks-russia-for-protection/a-68396033