Blind to Reality: Ruszin-Szendi Downplays War Risks to Hungary

Following in the footsteps of the Tisza Party president, the party’s defense expert has now also launched what critics describe as a duplicitous campaign on the issue of war. While Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi routinely praises the war decisions of EU leaders in Brussels and Western governments, he simultaneously attempts to downplay the danger of war. Most recently, he claimed that Hungary faces no war threat because, he says, no one intends to attack the country.

2026. 02. 11. 16:27

Notably, last year the Tisza Party’s official responsible for military preparedness declared on video:

We didn’t abolish conscription, we only suspended it—so if there’s trouble, everyone will be pulled in immediately.

Ruszin-Szendi later reaffirmed this stance on another occasion, stating on a recording uncovered by Ellenpont that “if things go south, everyone will be mobilized.”

Ruszin-Szendi Fails to Mention the Open War Preparations in Western Europe

The outlet also points out that in recent years several European countries have fully or partially reinstated conscription. Germany is a key example: as of January 1 this year, a semi-mandatory draft has come into force. While the system relies on volunteers, if not enough come forward, eligible young people will be selected by lottery from a national database.

Croatia also introduced mandatory two-month military training for men starting January 1.
In Denmark, compulsory service was extended from four to eleven months beginning in 2026, and from July 1, 2025, women are also required to participate in the conscription process.
In Latvia, conscription for men was reintroduced in 2023 following the outbreak of the war, and a public debate has already begun about drafting women as well.

In earlier articles, Ellenpont has compiled numerous pro-war statements from European political figures. One example is Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party (EPP)—of which the Tisza Party is a member—who said last May that the European Union was ready to replace U.S. funding for Ukraine should Donald Trump return to the White House.

In December, Weber also declared his support for deploying German troops to help “secure the Ukrainian peace process.” “I would like to see European flags on the soldiers’ uniforms as they secure peace together with our Ukrainian friends,” he told Funke Mediengruppe.

Shortly after taking office, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz authorized deep-strike attacks against Russia using German-supplied weapons. In May 2025, Merz announced: “There are no longer any range restrictions on weapons delivered to Ukraine—neither by the British, nor the French, nor by us, nor by the Americans. This means Ukraine can defend itself by striking military positions inside Russia.”

According to Ellenpont, it is precisely these alarming developments that Ruszin-Szendi Romulusz is attempting to distract from with his false narratives. The outlet argues that leaders within the Tisza Party have realized their overt service to the interests of Brussels and Kyiv has become politically damaging in Hungary. This mirrors the now-infamous admission by party vice president Zoltan Tarr at a forum in Etyek, where he said they cannot tell voters all of their plans—or they would lose.

As Ellenpont explains, Ruszin-Szendi—who otherwise openly discusses military force—has now been instructed to pretend the war does not even exist.