All articles tagged with #brussels
Hungary's incoming prime minister Péter Magyar says frozen EU funds will be paid out soon and he will meet EU leaders in Brussels for the first time since his Tisza party's landslide victory.
Brussels will open only two clusters in July (Cluster 6 externals relations and Cluster 2 internal market) instead of all six, due to Hungary’s opposition under PM Péter Magyar. Ukraine and Moldova have opened Cluster 1, with the rest to be tackled gradually. While Kyiv pushes for a rapid path, unanimity among member states and Budapest’s stance mean a slower, merit-based process, potentially opening the next cluster around July 14 if consensus allows.
Taliban officials and EU representatives met in Brussels in a rare closed-door session—the first Taliban-EU talks in Europe—under intense scrutiny over Afghan women’s rights. The Taliban delegation was issued visas with a limited Belgian stay, and EU and Belgian officials stressed the talks do not amount to recognition and are tied to migration/return policy debates; rights groups warned against legitimising the regime and urged discussions to prioritise Afghan women’s rights and humanitarian aid.
Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and the Netherlands have urged Brussels to accelerate the Capital Markets Union to deepen cross-border finance and reduce fragmentation, suggesting some powers be shifted to ESMA; however, the plan still needs broad cross-border backing (15 member states representing 65% of the EU population) to move forward.
A chaotic scene unfolded at the ceremonial weigh-ins for PFL Brussels when welterweight hopefuls Khamzat Abaev and Luca Poclit clashed during the face-off, prompting security intervention with Dan Hardy in the middle. The brawl comes ahead of Saturday's event headlined by Benson Henderson vs. Patrick Habirora, airing at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
EU officials and Hungary's incoming government held weekend talks in Budapest to unlock billions in frozen EU funds, including €10.4bn from the Recovery and Resilience Facility and up to €17bn in other funds; Hungary pledged reforms (anti-corruption, judicial independence, press and academic freedom) and said Ukraine matters will not be linked; the Commission says remaining issues can be resolved via milestones, with a late-August deadline, potentially unlocking up to €34bn for Hungary.
Hungary’s foreign minister Péter Szijjártó vetoed urgent Ukraine aid in Brussels over an energy dispute linked to the Druzhba oil pipeline and clashed with Ukrainian journalists, arguing Hungary’s sovereign energy choices and accusing Kyiv of hostility. The move risks stalling a sanctions package, with Hungary previously exempt from a loan but signaling a reversal. The EU says Druzhba damage was caused by a Russian strike, while Kyiv and Brussels trade blame as Europe seeks to reduce Russian oil by 2027.
EU antitrust officials are weighing rival Warner Bros. Discovery bids from Paramount Skydance and Netflix, with Brussels reviewing the implications and Paramount’s lobbying push underway. Regulators are focused on competition, consumer prices, and theatrical windows; while they rarely block deals outright, they could delay or condition approvals, leaving the final outcome uncertain as both sides present arguments.
As Hungary approaches its April 12 vote, Viktor Orbán intensifies an anti-EU campaign, claiming Brussels poses a greater threat than Russia, portraying the EU as meddling in Hungary’s sovereignty, attacking Kyiv aid, and labeling his main rival, the Tisza party led by Péter Magyar, as a Brussels puppet, while highlighting Donald Trump’s endorsement to rally supporters.
Jet2 banned two disruptive passengers for life after a midair brawl on a flight from Antalya to Manchester forced a diversion to Brussels; they were removed by police and the airline said it will pursue recovery of the diversion costs.
In his pre-election Budapest address, Viktor Orbán branded Brussels as the real threat and dismissed Western framing of Russia as 'Putin-ing' as primitive. He vowed to purge 'Brussels agents,' touted welfare measures funded by big‑business taxes, and signaled Hungary won’t send money or weapons to Ukraine, while warning Europe could head toward war by 2030 with the US seen as a friend.
Brussels is preparing to make concessions on farm funding to facilitate the approval of the Mercosur trade agreement, aiming to overcome obstacles and secure the deal.
EU leaders agreed on a 90 billion euro interest-free loan to Ukraine for 2026-27, but failed to use frozen Russian assets for funding due to legal and political issues, opting instead to borrow on capital markets. The plan aims to support Ukraine's military and economic needs amid ongoing war, with some countries opposing the use of Russian assets, citing legal risks.
EU leaders agreed on a 90 billion euro interest-free loan to Ukraine for 2026-27, but failed to use frozen Russian assets for funding due to legal and political challenges, opting instead to borrow on capital markets. The plan faced opposition from Belgium and some Eastern European countries, but was ultimately supported by most EU leaders, with Ukraine urgently needing funds amid ongoing war and economic crisis.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian tanker in Rostov-on-Don causing casualties and damage, while Russian air strikes wounded at least 32 in Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy plans to push for using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine amid international debates and threats of a new year of conflict, as Russia aims to extend its gains. Meanwhile, UK authorities warn Roman Abramovich to release funds from the Chelsea FC sale to aid Ukraine, or face legal action.