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EU summit: European Council president urges Orbán to ease tensions with Kyiv
European Council President Antonio Costa warned against escalating tensions and breaches of bloc unity during discussions on Ukraine at Thursday’s ongoing EU leaders’ summit, according to an EU official familiar with the discussion.
Costa raised concerns over Hungary’s stance regarding the EU’s previously agreed financial support for Ukraine.
Addressing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Costa stressed that actions undermining collectively agreed decisions were “unacceptable,” adding that it “violates the principles of good faith and of sincere cooperation enshrined in the treaties.”
Hungary and Slovakia accuse Kyiv of failing to make sufficient efforts to ensure the continuation of oil shipments after they were disrupted due to an attack on the pipeline, which is critical to both countries.
According to the official who wished to remain anonymous, Costa stressed that the situation of the Druzhba pipeline is a “separate issue,” adding that its restoration depends entirely on Ukraine’s ability to repair it and on Russia’s “willingness not to destroy it again.”
At the same time, Costa addressed rising tensions between Kyiv and Budapest, noting that some public remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about Orban were also “unacceptable.”
According to Anadolu, he stressed that “escalation is of no interest to anyone,” according to the official.
Did you read it? BREAKING! Orbán cabinet: a classified national security report on Tisza may soon be released
During the Ukraine discussions of the ongoing summit, EU leaders reiterated their “firm and unwavering support” for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and confirmed continued political, financial, military, and humanitarian assistance, including a €90 billion ($103 billion) loan for 2026-2027, a press release by the EU Council noted.
They called for accelerating Ukraine’s EU accession process, inviting the EU Council to open negotiation clusters without delay, it said.
The leaders also underlined their commitment to a “comprehensive, just, and lasting peace” based on international law, urging Russia to agree to an immediate ceasefire and engage in “meaningful” negotiations, the press release added.
It also highlighted the EU’s intention to increase pressure on Russia, including moving forward with a 20th sanctions package and further measures targeting Moscow’s energy revenues and financial system.
Hungary is vetoing the loan to Ukraine until oil flows resume via the Druzhba pipeline, while both Budapest and Bratislava are blocking the implementation of the 20th sanctions package against Moscow.
As we wrote about EU Summit, Orbán on Ukraine oil dispute as EU chief urges homegrown energy amid Iran conflict.
Also interesting: EU leaders no longer count on Hungary’s support for Ukraine
Orban is caught in the middle; the main thing is that he wins the election, no matter what gets broken.
The Israeli Air Force struck an Iranian military convoy in the Caspian Sea after receiving intelligence about the transportation of drones and equipment from the Russian Federation.
Arab version of The Independent reported that the operation was carried out near the Iranian port of Anzali. According to sources, several warships were seriously damaged in the strike, writes “Maariv”.
Some Arab media outlets claim that up to five large vessels were destroyed and another damaged. The Israeli side, according to unofficial reports, regards the episode as the first time its air force has acted in the region.
Iranian sources confirm that the strike may have been linked to a leak about the nature of the cargo. According to them, there were indeed drones and technology on board, intended to strengthen the country’s military capabilities.
In parallel, military-technical cooperation between Russia and Iran is intensifying. As The Wall Street Journal previously reported, Moscow is transferring to Tehran components for drones, including communication, navigation and guidance systems. In addition, Russian specialists are sharing their experience in the use of drones accumulated during the war against Ukraine.
Special attention is paid to the modernization of drones of the Shahed-136 type. It is about improving accuracy, resistance to electronic warfare and effectiveness in massive attacks. According to Western intelligence estimates, such technologies have already allowed Iran to improve the accuracy of strikes against US facilities and its allies in the Persian Gulf.
Experts note that the tactic of using drones – overloading air defense systems before missile strikes – is much the same as the approach used by Russia on the Ukrainian front. Despite the absence of a formal military alliance, Moscow and Tehran continue to deepen their security cooperation, regularly exchanging technology, experience and intelligence information.
Still spamming the Iran stuff, I see.
Good bot.
🍷😴😴😴😴
US Intelligence: Putin May Clash With NATO! Experts warn of the risk of expanding war in Europe.
Oh dear, what will Orban do then? He doesn’t want to wage war against Russia! So what? The only option left is to quickly switch sides. 😄
What the report didn’t yet consider is that the conflict in the Middle East could escalate because Russia is trying to provide Iran with more military support in the form of information and weapons. This danger is now at least as high as an escalation of the war in Ukraine.
But of course, Orban will ensure the continued oil supply from Russia.
Putin, according to an assessment by U.S. intelligence, believes his army continues to seize territory in Ukraine, so he sees no reason to stop the war. The annual report of the US intelligence services notes that Moscow still expects to achieve victory on the battlefield and impose peace on its own terms. At the same time, further development of the conflict could lead to its expansion – up to direct confrontation with NATO and a threat to the United States itself.
Although last year the pace of advancement of the Russian army was the lowest in the entire war and even in more than a century, according to the Washington-based Center for Strategy and International Studies, Russia maintains a military advantage. As long as it manages to hold and occupy Ukrainian territory, Moscow has little incentive to stop fighting.
The report emphasizes the risk of a so-called “escalation spiral,” in which a conflict in Ukraine or a new crisis could lead to a direct confrontation with the United States, including the possible use of nuclear weapons. The intelligence agency considers this to be the most serious threat posed by Russia.
Additional danger is posed by Moscow’s regular declarations of readiness to use nuclear weapons, as well as the use of medium-range dual-capable ballistic missiles. This increases the likelihood that a regional conflict will escalate into a global conflict.
Experts also warn of the risk of expanding the war in Europe. Continued fighting increases the likelihood of both accidental and deliberate escalation to a direct conflict between Russia and NATO.
The diversions against the US and its allies in Europe aimed at undermining support for Ukraine are cited. In particular, an incident on a Polish railroad in November 2025 is mentioned. Such actions on critical infrastructure could lead to casualties, economic damage and disruptions in arms supplies.
One of the factors strengthening Moscow’s position is cited as support from China. Supplies of technology and dual-use products allow Russia to continue arms production. However, at the same time the dependence of the Russian economy on China is increasing, and problems are growing – budget deficit and insufficient investment in the civilian sector, which may lead to long-term stagnation.
Russia’s economic lag is especially noticeable in the space sector, where China has already surpassed it as the main competitor of the United States. At the same time, Moscow continues to invest in military space development.
According to the report, Russia is developing a satellite capable of using nuclear weapons against other spacecraft. Such a deployment of anti-satellite nuclear weapons would violate international obligations, including the Outer Space Treaty, and would pose a threat to global security and satellite infrastructure.
Wow.
Costa thinks Hungary is bad. What to do…
Oh, sorry, I didn’t notice that my dog’s opinion is more important globally then Costa’s.
🤦🙈🙉🙊🤣🤣🤣🤣
Isn’t this called victim blaming?
🤡🤦🤦🤦😎😎😎
Ui, was macht dann aber Orban. Er will doch keinen Krieg gegen Russland führen! Also? Bleibt nur schnell die Seiten zu wechseln. 🙂
Was in dem Bericht noch nicht berücksichtigt wurde, dass der Konflikt im Nahen Osten eskalieren könnte, weil Russland versucht den Iran militärisch stärker mit Informationen und Waffen zu unterstützen. Diese Gefahr ist mittlerweile mindestens genauso hoch wie eine Ausweitung des Krieges in der Ukraine.
Aber Orban wird natürlich die Öllieferung aus Russland auch dann sicherstellen.
In northern Israel, the Haifa oil refinery was hit by an Iranian missile attack, according to Israeli media reports. Thick, dark smoke rose from the facility in the port city, as shown in images broadcast by Kan 11 on Thursday. The Haifa refinery, located in a large industrial zone, is the largest in the country. The Ministry of Environment stated that ministry representatives and emergency teams were on site.
Also, according to Kuwait Petroleum Corp., two refineries in Kuwait were hit by Iranian drone attacks. This was reported by the state news agency KUNA. The attack reportedly caused a fire at the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, but there were no injuries. The Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery has a production capacity of 730,000 barrels per day, making it one of the largest refineries in the Middle East. Shortly afterward, the nearby Mina Abdullah refinery was also hit, according to the Associated Press.
Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, crucial to the global market, have been severely damaged in an Iranian missile attack, according to the Gulf state. Early this morning, several LNG plants in the Ras Laffan industrial zone were attacked, resulting in “significant fires and other serious damage,” operator Qatar Energy announced on Platform X.
The industrial zone had already been targeted by Iranian missiles on Wednesday evening. The operator had previously reported fires and extensive damage on Platform X.
This certainly won’t make oil and gas cheaper on the world market. Of course, Orban couldn’t care less, because he needs to win an election, and for that, he needs Ukraine as a convenient scapegoat. How stupid do you have to be not to see that?
And what is Orban’s other friend doing, who would so gladly sell oil and gas to Europe in order to receive something other than the Chinese currency?
Russia Again Faces A Severe Shortage Of Yuan! It is de facto the only foreign currency available for international trade of the Russian Federation without restrictions.
The Russian banking system is facing an acute shortage of Chinese yuan, the de facto only foreign currency available for international trade without restrictions, reports The Moscow Times.
On Thursday, rates on overnight yuan loans on the Moscow Exchange soared to 44% per annum – the amount banks were willing to pay each other to borrow the Chinese currency. All last year and at the beginning of the year, yuan rates were kept around zero. In February they unexpectedly jumped to 10%, in early March they rolled back to 6% per annum, and since the beginning of the current week they have again rushed up sharply: 14% on Tuesday, 20% on Wednesday.
The yuan deficit was the result of a reduction in the inflow of export earnings due to the fall in oil prices at the end of last year, as well as the Ministry of Finance’s refusal to sell foreign currency from the National Wealth Fund, explains economist Egor Susin. As a result, “the market is torn”, he states.
Because of the growing shortage of yuan, banks have been applying for yuan loans to the Central Bank almost daily since the beginning of February, borrowing currency through swap operations. Last year the demand for such loans was zero, and by March 18 credit institutions had chosen the entire limit of the Central Bank – 5 billion yuan, according to its statistics.
“Unlike dollars and euros, which could be freely borrowed in the Western financial system, Russian companies receive yuan mainly from trade, as Chinese banks practically do not provide yuan to Russian companies”, – says the chief analyst of Sovcombank Mikhail Vasiliev. But there is significantly less currency from trade on the market: in February, the largest exporters sold only $3.5 billion on the exchange – three times less than in the same month a year ago.
The decision of the Ministry of Finance to stop selling yuan from the National Wealth Fund in order to save the rest of the liquid assets of the fund, deprived the market of yuan supply for another $3 billion a month, estimates leading analyst of Finam Alexander Potavin.
The yuan deficit has become the main reason for the sharp fall of the ruble, points out analyst of Alor Broker Igor Sokolov. Since the beginning of the week the exchange rate of the yuan against the ruble jumped by 7% and on Thursday updated the maximum since February last year – 12.65 rubles per yuan. The dollar for the first time in a year cost more than 86 rubles, and the euro for the first time in six months came close to the 100 mark (99.5 rubles per euro on the interbank market).
“In fact, the market has been functioning for a month at the current oil price of about $45 per barrel, which implies a rather low inflow of proceeds from exports; the proceeds from the current prices of $80-100 per barrel will enter the economy with decent lags, and there is no one to balance the market in the current situation,” says Susin.
To balance the market, the Central Bank may need to increase the provision of yuan swaps to banks, and the Ministry of Finance – to start placing free yuan on the market, the expert suggests.