Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is travelling to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron for bilateral talks on Ukraine, as European leaders prepare for a decisive emergency summit on Thursday. While Europe has attempted to signal its readiness to fill the void left by Donald Trump’s halt on all military aid to Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to prefer Washington’s support.
‘Pro-war, anti-Trump, and frustrated European leaders are coming together with the clear intention of obstructing a peace agreement,’ Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stressed on Monday. He was referring to the emergency summit hosted by Emmanuel Macron in Paris, where the most influential European countries are gathering to respond to US-led peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Roberta Metsola and Ursula von der Leyen are at the centre of a growing scandal involving undisclosed EU millions channelled to pro-EU media to shape the narrative ahead of the 2024 European elections. The case bears striking similarities to the USAID controversy and further erodes public trust in institutions and the media.
As the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU concludes, even EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a frequent critic of the Orbán administration, has praised its achievements at a press conference. She highlighted the Budapest Declaration on the New European Competitiveness Deal, expanding the Schengen Area to Romania and Bulgaria, and progress on the Western Balkan EU expansion.
Former European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders is under investigation by Belgian police for money laundering. Over the past five years, Reynders has been a leading figure in the EU’s efforts to uphold the rule of law and combat corruption. He also played a key role in the decision to withhold EU funds due to Hungary.
With the lowest level of support in the EU’s history, the European Parliament has approved Ursula von der Leyen’s second Commission, set to begin work in December. The largest conservative EP group, Patriots for Europe unanimously voted against the new Commission, stating that it goes against the will of the electorate.
‘I am proud to say that Bulgaria is a multicultural, multi-ethnic and extremely tolerant society. Being the oldest state in Europe and having the oldest inhabited city in Europe, Plovdiv, only shows for how long this society has been preserved. At the same time, we are extremely cautious and sensitive concerning the subjects of tradition, values, religion, family, and homeland. We have kept our borders safe, just like our friends in Hungary.’
The Israeli Defense Forces have killed the last surviving senior Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, in a firefight. While this is a significant step forward for Israel in its war against the terrorist organization, it is far from the end of the conflict, as both Israeli and Palestinian reactions have indicated.
Unfortunately, Wednesday’s debate in the European Parliament devolved into a political mud-slinging session, driven by Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of the EP political groups, rather than a reasoned discussion. In response, Viktor Orbán countered the propagandistic fake news and slander from the mainstream left with facts, effectively putting Hungary’s critics in their place.
The panellists discussed a wide variety of topics related to the war in Israel at the second International Por-Israel Summit hosted by the Center for Fundamental Rights, including the ICC arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu, Iran’s role in the conflict, and the potential impact of the upcoming US presidential election as well.