Euobserver.com

Italian prime minister Georgia Meloni flipped her friendly ties with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán to come out looking like a major power broker at this week's EU summit.

The deal to restore Northern Ireland's government — after nearly two years — is being spun as a major triumph. But not much has changed. This is an exercise in fine-tuning and political window-dressing.

More than 800 serving US and European civil servants have called for an end to their governments' diplomatic and military support for Israel, marking yet another expression of condemnation for Israel's devastating operation in Gaza.

As enactment of the EU's new directive on deforestation looms, insiders have warned that increased poverty in poor countries could be one of the unintended consequences — compliance is likely to favour larger commercial farms over smallholders in supply chains.

The EU is not inclined to take steps supporting Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in areas such as visa liberalisation or Customs Union modernisation before the local elections next month.

A war of attrition is entrenched along Ukraine's 1,000km frontline. But in the south-east, Kherson — a city where Russian forces are just across the Dnipro River — it remains a siege.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán is still flashing his Nato veto on Sweden, after dropping his EU veto on Ukraine.

Thousands of European farmers protested outside the European Parliament for fair prices, less red tape and more time and money for the green transition — but fires and vandalism in Brussels may overshadow their cause.

EU officials and diplomats have often been asked by journalists what they think Orbán really wants to get out of this negotiation on the €50bn for Ukraine that he blocked for weeks. The answers vary.

EU leaders rapidly agreed on Thursday to deliver a €50bn four-year economic aid to Ukraine, despite opposition in the run-up to the summit from Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán

Conclusions from three fact-checking organisations point to nothing less than a sophisticated information assault perpetrated by Russia on the democratic process of an EU member state.

The EU is drafting new rules to investigate, ban and ultimately remove a product from the single market if forced labour is used. However, the three institutions remain far apart on redress for victims, who investigates, and slave-labour by states.

EU cuts green and foreign aid funding to finance defence and border surveillance to curb migration.

EU leaders gathering in Brussels will wrangle over €50bn in aid for Ukraine. For a mayor near the frontline in Ukraine, it is a matter of life or death.

EU leaders will discuss holding annual debates on their €50bn four-year aid package to Ukraine, but it is unclear if this will convince Hungary to allow further aid urgently needed by Kyiv.

The EU's Red Sea naval mission will be purely defensive, unlike the US-led one, Europe has said, amid concern the US and Iran are heading for a direct clash.

More than 1,500 EU civil servants have signed a letter warning the bloc's leaders of their legal obligation to ensure the application of international law in Gaza, in a sign of growing internal anger and dissent within the Brussels' institutions.

The unanimity criteria should not discourage member states from seeking the deployment of Article 7 against Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán. If exercised wisely and strategically, peer pressure may bear fruit.

Europe's 2030 climate goals are at risk due to "inconsistent and contradictory" national plans, experts at the European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO) have warned, in a detailed look at domestic programmes for the next six years.

Ukraine can win the war against Russia if it gets the ammunition it needs from the West, but red tape in the EU defence industry and Hungarian vetoes are slowing aid.