Weber against everyone: “Fed up with Orban, from Trump lies about Ukraine”

Brussels – “As the EPP, we are fed up with Viktor Orban.” Manfred Weber, chairman of the European People’s Party, marks the rift with the Hungarian prime minister and now increasingly former partner. Orban, ousted from the party in 2021, has crossed the line with the continued threat of vetoes, the latest of which on today’s (March 6) European Council summit devoted to defense and Ukraine. “Today is the time to show a willingness to compromise,” Weber sounded as he arrived for the EPP meeting preceding the summit. However, the break with Budapest is not the only one: Weber also attacks the US president, calling him a liar.

“We are shocked by Trump’s lies. Blaming Ukraine for starting the war is a lie,” says the EPP president, who nevertheless does not want to dump what he still considers a strategic partner. “We believe in transatlantic cooperation,” which needs revival. Therefore, the idea of an EU-US summit, as proposed by Council President Giorgia Meloni, is welcome: “There is a need to start over, to talk to each other,” he said, supporting the government initiative.

Speaking of the government, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was reassuring about the stability of the majority. “There are no divisions,” he said, reiterating that Forza Italia strongly supports the European Commission’s defense plan. “The Europe of defense was the great dream of De Gasperi and then of Berlusconi,” he stresses. He then reassures the regions, “We will not use cohesion funds” to support defense.