Central Europe / News
Czech election winner Babiš signs coalition agreement with SPD and Motorists
ANO and its partners are poised to form the most rightwing cabinet in the country’s history.
Hungary, US set to deepen nuclear energy ties during Orbán’s White House visit
Viktor Orban, seeking to secure a temporary waiver from US sanctions on Russian oil, will propose a pragmatic energy deal to Washington, offering deeper cooperation in the LNG and nuclear sectors.
Viktor Orban facing delicate balancing act to persuade Donald Trump to ease pressure on Hungary over Russian sanctions
The Hungarian prime minister, long admired in MAGA circles and hailed by Donald Trump as a “great leader” now finds himself for the first time at odds with the US president over the latest US sanctions on Russia.
European diplomacy should have stopped war, Orban tells Italian broadcaster
The job of European diplomacy would have been stopping the war in Ukraine, but Brussels has become "irrelevant" by deciding not to negotiate, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told an Italian TV channel on October 28.
Thousands rally in Slovenia’s Novo Mesto demanding action after fatal attack
Demonstration reflected growing public anger over attack on local man allegedly committed by a 21-year-old member of the Roma community.
Ljubljana increases security in southeast after fatal attack involving Roma community
PM Robert Golob’s government under pressure as interior minister warns situation still not stable.
Slovak PM Fico to unblock 19th round of sanctions in exchange for EU’s concessions to car industry
During a parliamentary session in Bratislava, Fico reportedly admitted he uses the support for sanctions as a "pressure tool".
Smuggler balloons from Belarus disrupt flights for 4,000 passengers at Vilnius Airport
Lithuanian officials have accused Belarus of sending balloons across the border to transport contraband goods or disrupt air traffic near Vilnius.
Hungarian foreign minister says "many actors" worked to prevent Budapest summit
The White House has suspended plans for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest.
MOL says no risk to domestic fuel supply after Danube refinery blaze
Fires broke out at refineries in both Hungary and Romania in recent days.
Hungary to challenge EU’s ban on Russian gas imports, vows to block REPowerEU
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto says the European Council’s decision to ban Russian fossil fuel imports by 2027 could jeopardise Hungary’s energy security.
Slovak Foreign Minister Blanár reiterates support for Ukraine’s EU bid
Juraj Blanár says Ukraine is "ready in a way" for accession, but notes objections from some EU member states.
Poland’s Empik prepares Warsaw IPO, reportedly to raise up to €200mn
Book and media retailer Empik is planning to launch an IPO on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2026.
Kremlin says leaders’ good relations helped Budapest secure summit
Hungary is expected to host a second summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump on Ukraine after their talks in Alaska in August did not lead to a breakthrough.
EU mulls partial membership plan to ease enlargement and bypass veto risks
Move is aimed at moving forward with enlargement and overcoming resistance from EU members such as Hungary, but reaching consensus to be a challenge.
Minsk asks for talks with Kyiv, as Lukashenko seeks to end Belarus’ isolation
Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko has opened the door to direct dialogue with Kyiv as part of negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, as he launches a diplomatic drive to break the republic’s isolation and dependence on Russia.
Putin's meeting with Trump in Budapest is a slap in the face for the EU
As preparations get underway for a highly anticipated summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former US President Donald Trump in Budapest, attention is turning to an unusual but politically sensitive detail: how will Putin get there?
Zelenskiy leaves Washington empty handed, Trump and Putin head to Budapest to talk business
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy went into a White House meeting with US President Donald Trump on October 17 hoping for a big arms deal. He came out of the meeting empty handed.