Orban snubs Zelensky, skips debate on Ukraine at EU leaders’ summit

Brussels – The European Council summit scheduled for this week will not be an easy one. Between an agenda full of items to be discussed and the complexity of the files, in the end some matters may have to be postponed to other dates, such as the agreement on the use of frozen Russian assets for reparation loans to Ukraine. Speaking of Kyiv, there is already an institutional snub here with Hungary at the centre. Faced with a summit starting at 10 a.m., Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has already communicated that he will travel to the EU capital later, mid-afternoon, for reasons related to the Hungarian revolution celebrations. The sovereignist prime minister will skip the discussion on Ukraine, even though the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to attend in person.

 Insiders take note. Representing Hungary until Orban’s arrival will be Robert Fico, the prime minister of Slovakia, standing alone in blocking the 19th package of sanctions against Russia, putting himself in the way and seriously risking undermining the commitments of Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who had clearly taken a stand on the issue.

A country that doesn’t show up, the one that has been blocking the start of Kyiv’s accession negotiations forever and the same one that decided to host the Russian president despite being hit by sanctions, another country that is currently preventing new restrictive measures: the EU is already struggling to stay on course, and so the choice to talk about climate and sustainability goals comes at just the right time. 

Faced with a Parliament that shows yet another disconnect between the EPP and its traditional allies on the green economy, with a vote that scuppers the European law on forest monitoring, it is good to talk about climate. Not least because, EU sources confess, “the object of the debate is to secure the goals, not to weaken them.” With the respective distinctions, however. Countries such as Italy, France, and Poland would like more detailed conclusions on how the climate goals will be achieved, while the other leaders around the table prefer a more concise reference. In any case, regarding the broader competitiveness agenda, the idea that “it is time to achieve targets” seems to prevail among the leaders. 

The time for conclusions is more difficult. Here, the problem of the language to be used against Israel and the “disproportionate use of force” in the response to Hamas attacks is renewed, although it is recognised. It is not yet known what the leaders will write in the final text. In short, “it is not easy, but an agreement will be sought on all the items on the agenda,” summarises a European official.

 Finally, no decisive step forward is expected on frozen assets. The issue remains complex, and the legal, political, and financial knots remain untied. If all goes well, leaders will be able to provide the European Commission with guidance on the framework for its operations, which is considered a step forward, even though Kyiv already needs economic support for 2026.