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European Council
Thursday, March 20, 2025 All European Union nations but Hungary signed a joint statement today backing Ukraine. Conclusions ’reaffirming the EU’s continued and unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity were firmly supported’ by 26 out of 27 leaders. The second time in a month, Budapest was the bloc’s sole member to decline to sign such a statement of support. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is unable to hold up real EU assistance to Ukraine. As a matter of principle, the 27 EU member nations strive for unanimity on big decisions. When it comes to sensitive foreign affairs questions, it is often a legal necessity. Hungary’s European partners are coming up with workarounds to avoid any veto. Under Orbán, Hungary has drifted ever further from the EU fold over the war in Ukraine, repeatedly holding up the passage of multibillion-euro aid packages and sanctions. Two weeks ago, Hungary already refused to put its name to a joint EU statement that referred to Ukraine achieving ’peace through strength’ by counting on continued European military and financial support. At that emergency summit, European Council President Costa described Hungary as ’isolated’. “We respect Hungary’s position,” he said. “But it’s one out of 27, and 26 are more than one.’ Earlier this week, Hungary’s European Affairs Minister Bóka indicated that Budapest would refuse to sign the joint statement. “The part on Ukraine in several points is against the strategic interests and the strategic vision of Hungary on how to create the new European security architecture,” Bóka said Monday. Ahead of the summit today, EU officials and diplomats from other countries made clear they wouldn’t spend time being drawn into hours-long debates with Budapest when agreement on Ukraine was impossible. At the same time, Orbán is the closest to Russian President Putin of all EU leaders, and is backing U.S. President Trump’s peace talks with Moscow, which have largely sidestepped Kyiv and the EU. Orbán is emboldened by U.S. President Trump, who is pushing for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump has blamed Ukraine for Russia’s unprovoked invasion, all while accusing Kyiv of unnecessarily prolonging the biggest land war in Europe since World War II. Hungary can take the symbolic step of blocking joint statements and holding up proceedings. The rest of the bloc 'is growing more inclined to proceed without it'. Two courses of action that will directly benefit Ukraine - a major EU defense loan package and countries spending more on their military budgets – can not be blocked by it. With talks on the future of Ukraine unfolding day by day, the rest of the EU is looking for ways to signal support for Kyiv. Ministers and representatives from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of which are close to or share borders with Russia, called for “concrete proposals on how to decisively advance Ukraine’s accession process” in a letter. Kyiv got the green light to open membership negotiations last year, after Hungary dropped a veto, but the talks are yet to start. Sweden’s European Affairs Minister Rosencrantz told that supporting Ukraine’s journey to EU membership was ’an investment in the security of our entire continent.’ Joining the EU typically takes years or even decades of difficult reforms, though ’European Commission President der Leyen has suggested Kyiv could possibly join by the end of the decade’. In Hungary, Orbán has threatened to block Ukraine’s membership, and he is planning to hold a public opinion survey on whether the country should be allowed in. Enlargement decisions require unanimity, which has seen other EU membership bids, notably Turkey’s, grind to a halt. At a gathering of ’far-right’ EU politicians on the eve of the summit, Orbán said he does not support giving money to keep Ukraine fighting. “In our understanding, there is one simple mission to be done by the European Union: to support Trump, President Trump’s efforts to make peace,” he said. While EU leaders ponder long-term measures to back Kyiv, it is the United States that is shaping the course of the conflict. Future U.S. support for Kyiv is far from certain following a bust-up between Trump and Zelenskyy. Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire after Trump spoke to both presidents, though it remains to be seen when and how it might take effect. (Source: The Washington Times / The Associated Press = U.S.)
Russia
„Thursday, March 20, 2025 Ukraine and Russia have agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire after President Trump spoke with both countries’ leaders this week. The tentative deal to partly rein in the grinding war came after Russian President Putin rebuffed Mr Trump’s push for a full 30-day ceasefire. After an hour-long call with President Trump yesterday that both leaders said went well, President Zelensky told reporters that “technical” talks in Saudi Arabia this weekend would seek to resolve what types of infrastructure would be protected under the agreement. But it was immediately clear that the three parties had different views about what the pact entailed, with the White House saying “energy and infrastructure” would be covered, the Kremlin saying the agreement referred more narrowly to “energy infrastructure” and President Zelensky saying he’d also like railways and ports to be protected. ’One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure,’ Mr Zelensky said on social media following his call with Trump, which came a day after the US president held similar talks with President Putin. ’I supported this step and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.’ During their call, President Trump suggested that Zelensky should consider giving the US ownership of Ukraine’s power plants, supposedly to ensure their long-term security, according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Rubio and National Security Adviser Waltz. Mr Trump told President Zelensky that the US could be “very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,” the statement said. President Trump suggested “American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure,” according to White House officials. The idea was floated even as the Trump administration looks to finalise an agreement to gain access to Ukraine’s critical minerals, under the guise of repayment for US support for Ukraine during the war. (Source: Morning Star – United Kingdom)
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