At the EU leaders' summit in Cyprus, the absence of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who lost the election, initially created an atmosphere of relief. However, two-day negotiations showed that disagreements within the EU are much deeper than conflicts around the Hungarian politician, Politico writes on April 24.
After intense discussions about Ukraine's membership, the bloc's mutual defense, energy policy and a seven-year budget of €1.8 trillion, the leaders were forced to honestly admit that their problems and disagreements are much larger than one person, the newspaper writes.
“In some aspects, Orban was probably the scapegoat that everyone was hiding behind,” said Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal. Now, in his opinion, leaders will have to be honest about their intentions. However, as the politician noted, among the leaders without Orban, “positive energy was felt.”
One of the main topics was the possible integration of Ukraine into the EU. While some countries advocated speeding up the process, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said Kyiv's quick accession was “unrealistic,” recalling Croatia's decades-long path to membership.
The leaders also discussed the energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said that finance ministers have been instructed to prepare proposals for emergency support measures within a month. Earlier, European Commissioner for Transport Apostolos Dzidzikostas warned of a possible shortage of aviation fuel in Europe.
The debate surrounding the new seven-year EU budget of €1.8 trillion turned out to be even more acute. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have advocated cutting spending and “modernizing” the budget. They are opposed by countries, including Poland, which are demanding more funding.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that spending cuts meant “less Europe at a time when more is needed.”
The next official EU summit, at which key decisions are expected, will be held on June 18 in Brussels. By then, the euphoria of Orbán's departure will have completely faded, and leaders will need more honesty than ever, Politico concluded.
