Dealing with the next US administration will test Warsaw as it replaces Budapest in the EU’s rotating presidency

Ukraine, Russia unable to finalize gas transit deal amid Azerbaijani mediation Despite Hungary currently importing Russian gas via the TurkStream pipeline, Orban emphasized that he does not intend to abandon the transit route through Ukraine.

Hungary and Slovakia should not be afraid of Ukraine in Europe; instead, they should focus on ensuring that Russia has no place in Europe. — Ukrinform.

Kyiv has finally turned off Russia’s gas supply to Europe, ending a source of income that helped pay for Moscow’s war against Ukraine. The decades-old deal, which allowed the transit of natural gas produced by Russian energy giant Gazprom through Ukraine, ended at midnight on December 31, shutting down Russia’s last major gas corridor to Europe.

Ukraine increased electricity imports by 5.5 times to 4.4 million MWh in 2024. Source: monitoring data of ExPro Electricity Details: Hungary exported the most electricity, accounting for 39%, followed by Slovakia (23%),

Poland removed Viktor Orban and other top Hungarian officials from the guest list for a gala event Friday to mark the handover of the rotating Presidency of the European Union from Budapest to Warsaw.

Supply appears to be secure, but several countries are facing pressure on their networks and are seeking alternatives. Underground storage is depleting faster than in previous winters

It should be noted that the decision to strip Hungary of its €1.04 billion is in some sense a technical issue. Funds are automatically withdrawn two years after the suspension starts. But it is nevertheless highly significant as it implies that the status quo will not continue. Without change, Hungary could lose the rest of the funds permanently.

Unlike Trump, Orban needed two terms in opposition to climb back to the summit. He suffered another painful defeat in 2006, and the post-communists—socialist in name only—seemed unassailable, particularly with enjoying widespread Western support.

Poland's six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union was officially launched yesterday evening at Warsaw's Grand Theatre with a performance by musicians from the Polish National Opera.

Poland launched its presidency of the Council of the EU on Friday mired in a diplomatic row with Hungary that underscored a deepening sense of political disunity across Europe just as it confronts a raft of major global challenges.