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Ukraine on Thursday accused its neighbour Hungary, an ally of the Kremlin, of appeasing Russian aggression and disrupting EU unity after a telephone call between leaders in Moscow and Budapest.
"Apparently, after the elections, Budapest moved on to the next step — helping [Russian President Vladimir] Putin continue his aggression against Ukraine," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
Mr Putin congratulated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban after his party won a fourth term in general elections last week.
The two leaders spoke again Wednesday and Mr Orban told Mr Putin that Hungary would be prepared to pay Russia in roubles for gas imports.
"We believe this statement of readiness to pay for Russian gas in roubles is an unfriendly position towards our state," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
"Such statements also contradict the consolidated position of the European Union."
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said later on Thursday that his Ukrainian equivalent had not contacted him and urged Kyiv to "stop insulting us".
"They ask for and wait for help while attacking and accusing us in an immoral way," Mr Szijjarto told Hungarian public TV from Brussels, where he was attending a Nato meeting.
On Wednesday, Mr Orban said that during the call he had urged Mr Putin to implement an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, and he invited the leaders of France, Germany and Ukraine to meet the Russian leader in Budapest.
"Proposals to hold peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Budapest look cynical," Kyiv said.
"If Hungary really wants to help end the war, here's how to do it: stop destroying unity in the EU, support new anti-Russian sanctions, provide military assistance to Ukraine, and not create additional sources of funding for Russia's military machine."
The foreign ministry said Hungary had been reluctant to acknowledge "Russia's undeniable responsibility" for "atrocities," and that this could "strengthen Russia's sense of impunity and encourage it to commit new atrocities against Ukrainians".
Mr Orban had previously had one of the closest relationships to Mr Putin of any EU leader.
During his call, he restated his opposition to sending weapons to Ukraine and to the EU imposing an embargo on Russian energy imports, on which Hungary is highly dependent.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Indian construction workers stranded in Ajman with unpaid dues