Putin gets ‘seat at EU table’ as Macron scrambles to convince one country
An EU summit in Brussels is taking an expected turn as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban openly challenges the EU’s stance on Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine.
Orban’s controversial move has not only strained relations among EU leaders but has also granted Russian President Vladimir Putin an unexpected “seat at the summit table,” according to Jens Geier, the leader of the German Social-Democrats in the European Parliament.
Orban appears to be testing the resilience of Western unity, betting that the EU will eventually capitulate in the face of Russia’s brutal and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. The Hungarian Prime Minister’s actions are seen as a direct challenge to the EU’s support for Ukraine, raising concerns about the bloc’s ability to maintain a united front against external threats.
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Orban appears to be testing the resilience of Western unity, betting that the EU will eventually capitulate in the face of Russia’s brutal and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.
The Hungarian Prime Minister’s actions are seen as a direct challenge to the EU’s support for Ukraine, raising concerns about the bloc’s ability to maintain a united front against external threats.
Against this challenging backdrop, Council President Charles Michel is set to engage in a crucial breakfast meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Orban.
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The objective of the meeting is to navigate through the complexities created by Orban’s actions and find a common ground to preserve EU unity.
This morning’s breakfast meeting follows a late-night meeting involving Michel, Macron, Scholz, and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The leaders convened to discuss strategies for presenting a united front in the wake of Orban’s divisive tactics, emphasising the urgency of addressing the internal discord within the EU.
As Macron takes the lead in diplomatic negotiations, the pressure is on to convince Orban to reconsider his stance and realign with the collective EU position. The French President faces a formidable challenge in maintaining solidarity among member states and preventing further fragmentation of the EU’s response to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
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