Hungary

The EU leaders' summit on Thursday will test whether the bloc can hold together or whether US President Donald Trump can divide it. Officials of the Trump administration have been pushing European governments to reject a plan to use 210 billion euros of Russian assets to finance Ukraine.

Hungary has blocked the European Union's enlargement statement, preventing Ukraine from starting EU accession negotiations. 26 EU member states support Ukraine, but Hungary did not support a positive assessment of its efforts.

Belgium opposed the European Commission's proposals to unblock a €210 billion loan for Ukraine, financed by frozen Russian assets. This dashes the EU's hopes for a deal before the leaders' summit, as Belgium considers the guarantees provided insufficient.

EU ambassadors in Brussels today are discussing the European Commission's amendments to the reparations loan proposal for financing Ukraine. These amendments aim to address the concerns of Belgium, as well as Italy, Bulgaria, and Malta, who are calling for alternative options.

The European Union is facing a critical week as it tries to protect Ukraine from an unfavorable peace deal imposed by the US and Russia, and to save a multi-billion euro loan financing agreement for Ukraine. EU leaders will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and American officials in Berlin to discuss a peace deal, and will also fight for support for the lending plan among European governments.

Estonian President Alar Karis believes that Hungary should be helped to pay fines for terminating energy agreements with Russia. These agreements, some of which are valid until the 2040s, were concluded by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to ensure further supplies of cheap energy.

Latvia has allocated 5 million euros for the purchase of drones for Ukraine, redirecting funds intended for the European Peace Facility. This decision was made due to Hungary's blocking of military support for Ukraine through the EPF.

Thousands of Hungarians protested in Budapest against child abuse in a juvenile detention center. Opposition leader Péter Magyar called on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to resign over the scandal.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized the EU's initiative to use frozen Russian assets, calling it dangerous and equating it to a declaration of war, and also accused European leaders of a misguided financial approach to supporting Ukraine.

The new Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, stated that the country would not guarantee financing for Ukraine. He noted that the Czech Republic needs funds for its citizens and is lobbying for the restoration of access to preferential loans under the SAFE program.

Italy, Belgium, Malta, and Bulgaria have opposed the EU's plan to transfer 210 billion euros of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. They are calling on the European Commission to consider alternative options for financial assistance, such as joint EU debt.

The European Union has agreed to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets held in Europe. This removed a significant obstacle to using these funds to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is preparing to become the country's president by amending the Constitution and endowing this position with new powers. This will allow him to maintain control over the country regardless of the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Ambassadors of the European Union member states have voted to start the procedure for long-term freezing of Russian assets. This simplifies the process of holding frozen assets and is a step towards a potential loan for reparations.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Taras Kachka announced in Lviv an agreed action plan for Ukraine for the coming year. The plan envisages accelerating key reforms and aims to confirm the country's readiness for EU membership.

The European Union has announced the approval of a new approach to Ukraine's accession talks, which provides for technical negotiations to advance the process. This decision was made following an informal meeting of the bloc's European affairs ministers in Lviv.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban fully supported the US criticism of the EU, calling it the most important document of recent years. He noted that Americans see Europe's economic dead end and civilizational crisis.

The European Union is developing strategies to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to support the allocation of 210 billion euros to Ukraine. If Belgium continues to block the plan, it may be ignored at the EU level, similar to Hungary.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever does not rule out legal action if the EU decides to seize Russian assets in Euroclear, emphasizing that the risks cannot be borne solely by Belgium. He considers confiscation a radical and ill-considered step, proposing other options for financing aid to Ukraine.

US sanctions against Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft, which came into force on November 21, could cause a structural reorganization of the global oil sector. This will lead to the forced sale of assets and the redistribution of ownership of fields and refineries around the world.

The Washington Post reports on the outlines of a future peace agreement for Ukraine, which includes EU membership by 2027 and security guarantees from the US. The agreement provides for a demilitarized zone and territorial exchange, but Donald Trump could influence the course of negotiations.

EU countries intend to accelerate a decision on immobilizing up to 210 billion euros of Russian sovereign assets. This will allow them to bypass Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban before next week's summit.

Hungary's opposition is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and early elections after the release of a video showing physical abuse at a state-run juvenile detention center in Budapest. This incident occurred amid accusations of sexual abuse and the organization of a prostitution ring by the facility's former director.

A deputy of the Dnipro City Council has been notified of suspicion for forging documents. He went abroad under the guise of a business trip to spend a vacation with his family on the island of Rhodes in Greece.

The Dutch government has pledged an additional 700 million euros to Ukraine from the remaining funds in the budgets of the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs. This amount is less than the parliament's request, but most parties supported the proposal.

Seven EU countries have called for the use of frozen Russian assets to finance a reparations loan to Ukraine. This decision will strengthen Ukraine's position and ensure compensation for damages caused by the aggression.

EU countries will have to allocate billions of euros to guarantee loans to Ukraine totaling up to 210 billion euros, with Germany providing support of up to 52 billion euros. The European Commission presented these figures after proposing a "reparation loan" for Ukraine of 165 billion euros from frozen Russian assets.

Hungary and Slovakia will file a motion with the European Court of Justice to overturn the RePowerEU plan, which provides for a complete ban on imports of Russian gas and oil. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that this step is due to the threat to secure energy supply and rising prices.

The Hungarian authorities do not support participation in financial assistance to Ukraine, thwarting the European "Plan B" to use frozen Russian assets. Budapest refused to join the issuance of joint Eurobonds, which increased tensions within the EU.

Russia declared the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdi, wanted on charges of involvement in the death of propagandist Hanna Prokofieva. Brovdi reacted to the accusations with a quote from Bulgakov's novel.