Defense Ministry: Hungarian gripens at largest NATO exercise in Denmark
The defense ministry said on Wednesday that five JAS-39 Gripen aircraft of the Hungarian Armed Forces have been moved to the Skrydstrup air base in Denmark to participate in the Ramstein Flag 2025 multinational tactical-level live-fly exercise underway in Dutch, German and Danish airspace until April 11.
During this year's Ramstein Flag, which is one of the most important NATO fly exercises, Hungarian aircraft will cooperate with fifth-generation F-15 stealth fighters, the statement said.
Aircraft from Hungary's Kecskemet Air Base will also participate in complex deterrence and defense operations in realistic multinational combat settings, it added.
The ministry said that Hungary's air force had proven its preparedness in an international environment multiple times, and the Ramstein Flag 2025 exercise was another important step in maintaining and developing the combat readiness of pilots, fighter jets and staff.
It added that for Hungary's army, Ramstein Flag 2025 was not only a military exercise but a strategically important event that could contribute to increasing the region's security and strengthen ties with allies.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Budapest Times
4 days ago
- Budapest Times
Orbán: Europe has fallen asleep, we need to talk to Russia as soon as possible
'Europe has fallen asleep,' the prime minister said, emphasizing that the French President and German Chancellor should already have met with President Vladimir Putin to seek an end to the war in Ukraine. 'This war is taking place in Europe, not overseas. It is in our interest to bring it to an end.' According to Prime Minister Orbán, only a direct and high-level dialogue can lead to a ceasefire: 'The Trump-Putin meeting is good news, because without them there will be no ceasefire. But it should not be America alone. Europe must act as well.' The interview came at the end of a politically and economically dense week. The prime minister introduced the details of the Home Start housing loan program, launching in September, which he framed as a strategic tool to reverse Hungary's demographic decline and strengthen families. 'In the West, they want to solve the problem with migration. We don't like that.' Listing the problems Western cities are facing due to this approach, PM Orbán said, migration 'changes cities—more foreigners than local children in the schools, terrorism risks, declining public safety.' 'We will not solve our demographic issues with migration—we will support (Hungarian) families,' he stressed. The newly introduced measures offer significant financial advantages. The tax-free status of maternity and childcare allowances now brings a net gain of up to HUF 78,000 per month for those making an average income. The updated housing loan, with a fixed 3 percent interest rate, can save up to HUF 150,000 monthly on a HUF 50 million loan. 'There is no exchange rate risk, no interest rate risk. It's in forints,' Prime Minister Orbán noted. He added that young people now renting can find themselves paying less in monthly installments than they would for rent. 'The Hungarian dream is to own a home,' not a monthly rental. Responding to criticism that the new scheme will increase housing prices, the prime minister dismissed such concerns as misinformed. 'They haven't read the decree. Or they could just call Miklós Panyi,' he remarked, calling the attacks from the Tisza Party politically motivated and based on falsehoods. 'Those who attack this program have never built anything like it. We won't be buying luxury apartments. There's a cap on price per square meter. This is for people who don't own property.' Turning again to the war, Prime Minister Orbán reiterated his belief that Hungary must continue pushing for peace. 'I already wanted to launch these economic programs in March, but we had to add safeguards. Still, we cannot wait for the war to end. We must act now.' In closing, the prime minister touched on international disinformation campaigns, including one orchestrated against Donald Trump. 'It's a scandal—state organs were used to spread fake news. And similar things are being done against Hungary. They want a government here that Brussels likes, not one the people chose. But there are serious ways to resist.'
Budapest Times
05-08-2025
- Budapest Times
Orbán: If you have no persuasive power, then you have no victory either
He began by addressing the visible generational divide, especially among Hungary's youth. Reacting to criticism from young performers and audiences, Prime Minister Orbán said, 'Young people are like adults. There are liberals among them, and there are those with national sentiments.' He emphasized that rebellion is a natural part of youth, and while some direct it against the government, others challenge international power structures. 'These are our children,' he reminded, urging parents to view youthful outbursts with understanding and perspective. On policy, the prime minister outlined a broad range of support programs aimed at the younger generation—from tax exemptions for under-25s and subsidized student and worker loans, to a new 3% homeownership loan available starting in September. 'There is a war, there is no major economic growth, but we did it,' he declared. Yet he acknowledged that these policies alone wouldn't secure electoral loyalty. 'Elections aren't just about logic or policy offers,' he said, noting that identity, trust, and communication also play crucial roles. That led to what he called the most urgent task: mastering the digital realm. 'Our persuasive power decreases, and if you have no persuasive power, then you have no victory either,' he warned. With political discourse having fully migrated online, the right must stage what he termed a 'digital conquest.' If conservatives cannot learn the language and pace of the digital space, he argued, they will lose ground permanently. Initiatives like the Harcosok Klubja (Fight Club) and Digitális Polgári Körök (Digital Civic Circles) aim to anchor both the combative and community-focused wings of the civic right in this new arena. Despite fluctuating poll numbers and a fragmented media landscape, Prime Minister Orbán emphasized that his party keeps a clear, data-driven picture of its position. 'We work with measurements that give a real picture of your popularity, your electoral chances, and public opinion on important issues. From this, I know where we stand—and we will work hard and win big.' In foreign policy, the prime minister was equally blunt. On the war in Ukraine, he stated: 'In international law the Russians are wrong, the Ukrainians are right. But geopolitically, Russia is creating a buffer zone. They have said clearly: they will hold as much Ukrainian territory as they need to keep missiles away from their border.' He added emphatically, 'I do not want to take the responsibility to see even one young person die for Ukraine, and I will not.' At the same time, he reassured regional allies of NATO's credibility. 'Since NATO has existed, no member has ever been attacked. No rational actor would go to war with all NATO members, including the United States and Turkey. So the Baltic and Polish peoples can believe that the NATO guarantee is a real one.' Touching on regional sovereignty, he took a firm stance on the EU's judicial actions against Milorad Dodik, president of Republika Srpska. 'For him to be condemned not for corruption, but for not implementing EU decisions—is unacceptable. Hungary does not recognize the court's decision. President Dodik remains the elected leader of the Bosnian Serbs, and we will shape our policy accordingly.' On migration, Prime Minister Orbán once again drew a hard line. 'The migration pact means building camps for 30,000 migrants tomorrow. And then Brussels—not Hungary—will decide how many migrants each country receives. We are illegally not implementing this pact, and we say openly that we will not. There are only two choices: rebel or surrender. The West has surrendered. We will not.' Closing with a rallying cry, he reminded the audience that while Hungary's political environment may be stable, it requires continuous effort. 'We have to work very hard to maintain support—election by election, consultation by consultation.' In a world he described as 'stirred up like coffee grounds,' Prime Minister Orbán's vision for Hungary remains steadfast: a sovereign, family-centered, digitally savvy nation, capable of weathering storms without losing its footing—or its voice.
Budapest Times
29-07-2025
- Budapest Times
Orbán: US President has eaten EC leader for breakfast
On Monday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said about the EU-US trade deal that it was not an agreement but US President Donald Trump had 'eaten the European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen for breakfast'. PM Orbán told an online broadcast dubbed Fight Hour that he had expected this outcome in advance, considering that the US President was 'heavyweight' as against the EC President being 'lightweight'. The US President's position was much more confident, while the EC President's position was always more fragile, he added. The US has recently struck a similar deal with the UK, which was 'much better than this', PM Orbán said. He added that since the European deal was 'much worse' than the UK deal, it would be difficult to present it in the future as a success. PM Orbán said the problem was that, in line with the agreement, Europeans would invest several hundred million euros in the US. 'But who will?', PM Orbán asked, adding that the EC had no capital to invest. 'In whose name did she agree? Will the German Chancellor take the money there, the French President, or the Hungarian PM will send the capital?', he asked. He said that 'we are supposedly going to buy weapons, to a value of several hundred billion euros'. 'But who will? The Commission has no army,' PM Orbán added.
