From Moscow, NATO rebel announces Putin support on TV; but Germany's Merz continues bigger war push

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto sparked controversy by claiming the Ukraine conflict could have already ended if European leaders had not undermined Donald Trump’s peace efforts. In an interview with Russian media, Szijjarto accused the EU of prolonging the war, criticising Western hypocrisy on Russian energy and warning that using frozen Russian assets would destroy investor trust in Europe. He also said Hungary faces constant political attacks for advocating ceasefire and peace talks. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged shifting US-EU relations amid Trump’s criticism of Europe’s leadership and policies.