EU governments have agreed to restrict travel for Russian diplomats within the bloc in response to a surge in sabotage, often led by spies operating under diplomatic cover. This is part of a new package of sanctions being developed by Brussels, which requires unanimous support.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused Ukraine of attempting to pressure European states regarding EU accession. He stated that Budapest would not support this decision, citing the results of a referendum.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will be in the European Union, as it is the choice of Ukrainians. He noted that Hungary is slowing down this irreversible process, and Ukraine will appeal to partner countries to change the accession procedure or put pressure on the Hungarian Prime Minister.
The European Parliament is considering accelerating the phasing out of Russian oil and gas imports. This involves stopping oil imports from 2026 and gas from 2027, according to amendments to the RePowerEU regulation.
81 international observers will work in the local elections in Georgia on October 4, which is significantly less than 1024 in 2021. The OSCE and reputable local NGOs refused to observe due to late invitation and legislative restrictions.
The head coach of the Ukraine U-21 national team, Unai Melgosa, has announced the squad for the October Euro 2027 qualification matches. The team will play against Hungary on October 10 and Croatia on October 14.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof stated that the country does not support accelerating negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU by abolishing the unanimity principle. The Netherlands insists on adhering to the Copenhagen criteria and the unanimity principle, believing that changing the rules is not the way for Ukraine and Moldova to join the EU.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that North Korea, BRICS, and other “neutral countries” made efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. He noted that the actions of these countries differ from the behavior of Europe and the United States under the administration of former President Joe Biden.
Ukraine expects a number of economic decisions from the EU by the end of the year, including a review of duties on agricultural products. The government's main task is to accelerate the country's accession process to the European Union.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the summit in Copenhagen called on European leaders to support Donald Trump's call to stop buying Russian oil. He also emphasized the need to destroy Russia's oil trading infrastructure and impose sanctions against the shadow fleet.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that the real threat to Europe is economic stagnation. He emphasized that the EU is stronger than Russia - in terms of population, GDP, and military spending.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reacted to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's statement about his country's unwillingness to be in integration associations with Ukraine. Sybiha noted that the countries are already members of many international organizations and formats.
The Hungarian parliament plans to extend the state of emergency for another 180 days, until May 13, 2026, due to the war in Ukraine. This decision will grant Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expanded powers.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke out against António Costa's plan to bypass Hungary's veto and accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU. He also declared the country's dependence on Russian energy, despite US demands.
Parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic will be held on October 3 and 4. Andrej Babiš's ANO party is leading in the polls, ahead of the ruling coalition.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban may find support in his attempts to hinder Ukraine's accession to the EU, particularly from French President Emmanuel Macron. The proposal by European Council President António Costa to change EU accession rules to circumvent Hungary's resistance is meeting opposition from a number of countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Greece.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that the country would shoot down Russian drones if they violated its airspace. This came after his statements about Ukraine's lack of independence.
Ukraine has successfully completed the final stage of screening its legislation for compliance with European Union norms. This process lasted 15 months and was one of the fastest among all candidate countries.
The European Union is preparing to begin technical work on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova, despite Hungary's ongoing blocking of accession negotiations. The European Commission has proposed adjusting the rules to circumvent Hungary's veto, by starting technical work in several "clusters" even without an official decision.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki proposed a bill to increase the minimum period of continuous residence in the country for obtaining citizenship from three to ten years. This is aimed at better integration of foreigners and adaptation to Polish society.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that the country's energy security is directly linked to the supply of Russian gas and oil. He emphasized that Russian resources are cheaper, and abandoning them would lead to an increase in tariffs for the population.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha responded to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who questioned Ukraine's sovereignty. Sybiha noted that Ukraine awaits Orban's opinion on sovereignty when he gets rid of his dependence on Russian energy carriers.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claims that Ukraine is not sovereign because it is financed by Western countries. He stated that without Western support, Ukraine would disappear.
Brussels welcomed the plan by European Council President António Costa, which involves bypassing Hungary's veto to advance Ukraine's and Moldova's applications for EU membership. The proposal would allow voting on the opening of negotiation clusters by a qualified majority of member states.
The meeting on the proposed EU 'drone wall' was a 'productive initial exchange'. The next steps involve discussions with other EU member states in a broader format.
The European Union is planning new restrictions on the travel of Russian diplomats within EU countries to minimize the risks of subversive activities. Russian diplomats must now notify their travel plans in advance and provide route details.
The European Union must radically transform due to Putin's provocations and Trump's semi-detachment. EU countries are looking for ways to counter the Kremlin's aggressive rhetoric.
European Council President António Costa is leading efforts to advance Ukraine's EU membership bid, despite Hungary's resistance. He is trying to garner support from EU capitals for simplifying the accession procedure for new members, proposing to open negotiation clusters with the consent of a qualified majority of EU countries.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop the persecution. This happened after Zelenskyy instructed the military to check for violations of Ukrainian airspace by Hungarian drones.
President Zelenskyy stated that Hungary is doing dangerous things by sending drones into Ukrainian territory. He instructed the military to investigate violations of airspace by Hungarian reconnaissance drones.
