- 2 weeks ago
Europe Today: Ο Όρμπαν δηλώνει νικητής στην τεταμένη σύνοδο κορυφής της ΕΕ για Ουκρανία και Ιράν
Συντονιστείτε στο νέο κεντρικό πρωινό πρόγραμμα του Euronews στις 8 π.μ. ώρα Βρυξελλών: σε μόλις 20 λεπτά μαθαίνετε τις σημαντικότερες ειδήσεις της ημέρας.
ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ : http://gr.euronews.com/2026/03/20/europe-today-orban-claims-victory-at-tense-eu-summit-focused-on-ukraine-and-iran
Γίνε συνδρομητής! ! Το euronews είναι διαθέσιμο σε 12 γλώσσες
Συντονιστείτε στο νέο κεντρικό πρωινό πρόγραμμα του Euronews στις 8 π.μ. ώρα Βρυξελλών: σε μόλις 20 λεπτά μαθαίνετε τις σημαντικότερες ειδήσεις της ημέρας.
ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ : http://gr.euronews.com/2026/03/20/europe-today-orban-claims-victory-at-tense-eu-summit-focused-on-ukraine-and-iran
Γίνε συνδρομητής! ! Το euronews είναι διαθέσιμο σε 12 γλώσσες
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:14Υπότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE
00:32Υπότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE
01:00Leaders also discussed the spike in energy prices due to the ongoing escalation in the Middle East and the blockage
01:06of the Strait of Hormuz, but repeated that this is not Europe's war.
01:10But speaking on Euronews' special EU summit show, Trump's former security adviser, John Bolton, begged to differ.
01:17This is Europe's war. And to say, as some European leaders have, that it's not Europe's war is simply an
01:25invitation to Donald Trump to say, OK, fine, it's not Europe's war.
01:30And, you know, Ukraine, it's not America's war.
01:33For more, we can bring in our correspondent Shona Murray, who's been following every twist and turn of the long
01:39EU summit for us.
01:41Good morning, Shona. So John Bolton there saying this is Europe's war. EU leaders say it's not. Who's right?
01:49Well, two things can be true at the same time, Maeve. I think EU leaders can objectively say that this
01:54isn't actually their war.
01:56They weren't consulted. They're not party to the conflict. They're not sending military assets to intervene on either side.
02:02They're calling for de-escalation. In fact, some of them extoll the virtues of this potential war if it were
02:08to take out the tyrannical regime in Tehran.
02:11But at the same time, Europe has to deal with this war, potentially migratory routes towards Europe.
02:16And also, moreover, the implications being the skyrocketing gas and oil prices that are definitely hitting the European economy.
02:24So, well, problematically, it is Europe's war.
02:27Now, yesterday, we heard some European leaders, including Japan, said that they'll try to chart a way forward to securing
02:33the Strait of Ormuz,
02:34potentially diplomatically, because they ruled out sending any sort of military mission.
02:39In addition, John Bolton is also right, because if Europe decides to, let's say, condemn or criticise Donald Trump for
02:46this war and the impact it's having on them,
02:48he may decide, well, I won't be selling any more weapons to Ukraine and I won't be supporting Ukraine from
02:53a military intelligence perspective.
02:54So they have to tread carefully.
02:56Maeve?
02:57And, Shona, yet another summit overshadowed by a Hungarian veto and President Costa we could see visibly furious.
03:03Fill us in.
03:07Well, you know, we've been here before, Viktor Orban.
03:10He's been in power for 16 years and he has blocked things at EU Council level before.
03:14But this was the most confrontational and angry I've ever seen sort of EU leaders.
03:20Afterwards, people like the Swedish Prime Minister saying that this was full of anger, that the clashes were very bad.
03:26We had Friedrich Mertz, the German Chancellor, saying that Orban was violating the very foundational principles of cooperation at EU
03:33level.
03:34Bart de Weyver, the Belgian Prime Minister, also making the point that he can't believe that Viktor Orban endorsed this
03:39loan before Christmas and now he's not going to execute it.
03:42As we know, the whole idea is that Viktor Orban is saying he's blocking 90 billion euros for Ukraine unless
03:47the Druzba pipeline passaging Russian oil to Slovakia-Hungary is fixed.
03:52So, last night, Antonio Costa, the President of the European Council, was asked about this by our own colleague Jorge
03:59and he responded in very strong terms, essentially accusing Orban of blackmail.
04:04The leaders take the floor to clear condemn the attitude from Viktor Orban to remember that once a deal, a
04:16deal is a deal.
04:18And all the leaders need to honour their word.
04:23And nobody can blackmail the European Council.
04:27Nobody can blackmail the European Union institutions.
04:31Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, they are making the point that there has to be some sort of
04:36resolution to this.
04:37But at the same time, Maeve, Viktor Orban has successfully blocked this loan.
04:41There's a consensus also, Maeve, that he's in the middle of an election cycle, a general election, and he's using
04:47this as a sort of a soapbox to speak to the Hungarian voters back home, that he's a sort of
04:52a strong man that has huge control at EU level.
04:55And in that way, he'd be right, Maeve.
04:57Well, indeed, those elections, Shona, taking place on the 12th of April.
05:00What's at stake here?
05:03Well, I mean, for Viktor Orban, lots at stake for the European Union, lots at stake, particularly for Ukraine, because
05:09Viktor Orban has made it his business to block not just a 90 billion euro loan, but he's also blocking
05:14the passage of the Ukraine, becoming a member of the European Union.
05:18He spoke to our Europe Today editor, Maria Tadeo, last night, and he accused the European Union of actually meddling
05:26in the Hungarian election, saying that they're trying to push, that there's an actual policy to push him out of
05:31government.
05:32Now, remember, he is trailing in the polls, and the opposition leader, Peter Major, is doing very well in the
05:37rural constituencies, which are key for Viktor Orban.
05:39But take a listen to that conversation last night.
05:42Here in Brussels, many of them, especially EPP, think that the only way out of this situation is that the
05:50national government lose the election and the pre-Ukrainian government will be formed.
05:54This here is not just a hope, it's a program, may I say.
05:57Even they finance the Hungarian opposition from here.
05:59It's Ursula von der Leyen. You say they have a program. Who is the program?
06:03And would you ask, Ursula von der Leyen wants you out of government?
06:06All the European institutions, including parties and the Commission, would like to have a change in Hungary of the government,
06:13and they finance it, yes.
06:15Victor Orban there, speaking to our Maria Tadeo, and before that, of course, Euronews' Shona Murray, giving a very comprehensive
06:21update on that EU summit last night.
06:23And, of course, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also joined those talks via video link to discuss the ongoing situation in his
06:30country and the fact that his country will suffer dearly without this loan.
06:33Last month, we saw the IMF had to disperse $1.5 billion to keep the country running.
06:39For more on The View from Kiev, I'm joined here in the studio by Euronews' Ukraine correspondent, that is Sasha
06:44Vakilina.
06:45So, another very tough summit for Ukraine with Antonio Kosta very, very angry, a man who's normally very mild-mannered.
06:52Indeed, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy being very, very disappointed, Maeve.
06:56This was a rare occasion when Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not here at the council himself in Brussels.
07:01He only connected, as you say, on the video link.
07:04This is not something that we're used to while covering the EU councils here.
07:09Apart from the €90 billion loan, there is another step that Hungary is blocking, is the new package of sanctions
07:16against Russia.
07:18So, all of that, this is an impasse that we're in now.
07:20And Viktor Orban, you know, insisted that he's not going to move anywhere, that he's not going to change his
07:27mind or have any sort of change of heart
07:29until the moment that the oil is flowing through Druzhba, the pipeline that was damaged by the Russian attack at
07:36the end of January,
07:37and which both Ukraine and the European Union promised to fix.
07:42Let's take a listen to what Viktor Orban had to say.
07:45We would like to get the oil which is ours from the Ukrainians, which is now blocked by the Ukrainians.
07:50I will never support any kind of decision here which is in favour of Ukraine.
07:54Still, the Hungarians are not able to get the oil which belongs to us.
07:59Viktor Orban insists that the oil is blocked by Ukraine and the Ukrainians,
08:05not because of the Russian attack on the pipeline infrastructure.
08:09Now, Volodymyr Zelenskyy indeed was very disappointed when he addressed the leaders
08:15and also when he delivered his usual and traditional evening address.
08:18But he did insist that he hopes that the European leaders will find the solution
08:23and will find a way to unblock this loan for Ukraine.
08:27This is what he said.
08:31We are confident that Europe will stand by us and find a way to deliver on what has already been
08:38agreed.
08:39I would like to thank every leader who stands with us on these issues
08:43because this is a matter of protecting the lives of our people and safeguarding normality.
08:49Volodymyr Zelenskyy there.
08:50And Sasha, how will Ukraine now manage without this money?
08:54Ukraine will have to find the solution, but also the timeline is very interesting
08:58because there's not much time left now.
09:00Ukraine will be running out of money with this big financial hole looming.
09:03In just a couple of weeks, Kyiv said that they might find the solution to stretch it a little bit,
09:09but not too much.
09:11Ukraine's finance minister spoke to Euronews as well during the summit.
09:17And this is what he said about Kyiv's way forward.
09:21It's definitely not welcoming news from Brussels,
09:26but I think that all our counterparts and countries which support Ukraine
09:32are doing their best to secure Ukraine's financial needs for the next two years.
09:38That's why I'm confident enough that rather sooner than later
09:42we will be able to get access for this 90 billion euro.
09:45The sooner the better for Ukraine, but also for the European Union regarding delivering its promise
09:50and already the decision that has been agreed upon in December.
09:53Now, not a single decision when it comes to aid for Ukraine from the European Union is an easy one.
09:58There are always like consultations and talks and rounds and rounds of negotiations.
10:02So this is why it's specifically disappointed.
10:04Regarding the timeline, though, for Druzba pipeline,
10:08Now, it is expected to be fixed the earliest in the second half of April.
10:14Now, the question is, how much time will it take from that moment onwards for Hungary,
10:18past the elections, of course, to unblock the package and unblock that loan?
10:24It's pretty gripping.
10:25Whatever happens, of course, we will report it.
10:26Sasha Vakilina, thank you so much for that update.
10:29Now, you might remember that this EU summit was actually meant to focus on competitiveness
10:35and boosting the European economy.
10:37An EU leaders' retreat in February had actually set the scene.
10:40EU leaders want to deepen the single market, make it easier for start-ups
10:44and scaling up across EU borders.
10:46In our special summit show last night, Euro News editor Maria Tadeo
10:49spoke to the former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta,
10:52the author of that famous paper, One Europe, One Market.
10:55It was supposed to be the European Council for competitiveness.
11:00The European leaders, they have to intervene on both sides.
11:05immediate interventions to lower the cost of energy today,
11:09but they have to continue working on implementing the reports
11:14on how to strengthen the European economy, integrating the single market,
11:18creating this plan, One Europe, One Market,
11:21that is for the next months and next years.
11:24The main problem with Trump, you know,
11:27is Trump is setting the agenda every day in a different way.
11:30The European leaders, they have to be very, very focused on their own agenda.
11:36That is fundamental.
11:37So a bit of a cold shower there from Enrico Letta,
11:40reminding EU leaders that despite the fact that their summit was derailed
11:43by ongoing crisis,
11:45in a world dominated by President Trump and geopolitical competition,
11:49Europe needs to respond fast by completing the single market,
11:52which allows, of course, the free movement of goods, capital,
11:55and services and people.
11:56EU leaders also dived deep into the topic of ETS.
12:00That's a huge chunk of Brussels' climate policy
12:03that aspires to make big polluters pay.
12:06If you haven't heard of ETS, our Jakob Janos has you covered.
12:11Spring is coming to Brussels,
12:13but all your reporter hears when he goes outside is...
12:16ETS.
12:16ETS.
12:17ETS.
12:18ETS.
12:18ETS.
12:19ETS.
12:19ETS scheme.
12:21And that is because 10 EU countries are in open revolt
12:24against the bloc's flagship climate policy.
12:26But hold on.
12:27What actually is the ETS?
12:29And why is there such a massive backlash against it?
12:34ETS, so emissions trading system,
12:36is essentially Europe's carbon market.
12:38And it works on a simple polluter pays principle.
12:42Heavy industries, power plants, and airlines
12:44must buy allowances to cover the carbon they emit into the atmosphere.
12:49It is used for two main goals.
12:52To force companies to cut their greenhouse emissions
12:55and to push them to invest in sustainable green technologies.
12:59In the last 20 years,
13:01the ETS has slashed greenhouse gas emissions by 39%
13:04and has generated over 260 billion euros
13:08to fund clean energy.
13:10But 10 member states,
13:12including Italy, Poland, and Austria,
13:14say the system is moving too fast.
13:17Italian industry minister Adolfo Urso
13:19even called the ETS a tax with a perverse effect,
13:23warning it prevents Europe from competing globally.
13:26And critics argue that with energy prices
13:29already soaring from the war in Iran,
13:32adding high carbon costs creates an existential risk
13:35for European businesses.
13:37And here is an example.
13:38The chemical sector alone reports
13:40that over 100 facilities have shut down,
13:43wiping out 75,000 jobs.
13:46And that is why Italy is pushing
13:48to suspend the system entirely.
13:50And the rest demand the EU extend
13:52free carbon allowances beyond 2034.
13:56Look, I know all of that sounds a bit technical,
13:59but one thing is clear.
14:00The energy transition is no longer just a climate goal.
14:04It has become a battle for European security,
14:07an industrial survival.
14:13Jakob Jan is reporting for us there.
14:15And now to talk us through
14:16the dramatic summit yesterday
14:18that raises more questions now than answers,
14:20we're joined here on set by Hildegard Bentela,
14:23the senior German Conservative member
14:24of the European Parliament from the CDU party.
14:27Thank you so much for joining us.
14:28So quite a night there.
14:30Pretty rough for Ukraine.
14:31What's the plan B now?
14:35Well, for the time being,
14:37we need more consultations now.
14:43Well, nobody expected this kind of outcome.
14:46But I think, you know,
14:48there was the offer to inspect the pipeline,
14:50maybe, you know,
14:51which was not, you know,
14:53well perceived because Slovak
14:54and Hungarian participants couldn't attend.
14:57So maybe there's another attempt,
15:00you know, to bring...
15:00So when you say nobody expected this outcome,
15:02you mean nobody expected that veto last night
15:04from the Hungarian prime minister?
15:06I think not to that extent.
15:08So this is why we do not have yet a plan B
15:11and, you know,
15:12leaders left without, you know.
15:15And are you furious also with Viktor Orban
15:17the same way Antonio Costa was?
15:21Yes, of course.
15:22But I think it's a tactic we know.
15:25So, and this is why, I mean, you know,
15:27there were some difficulties at the beginning
15:30and this is, I think,
15:30why the presidential commission reached out,
15:33you know, with this idea to inspect the pipeline.
15:35And as we know, it didn't went well.
15:36If it had gone well,
15:37maybe, you know,
15:38the outcome would have been different
15:40to accommodate a little bit.
15:42Indeed, because this should have been done months ago.
15:44Exactly.
15:44The war in the Middle East,
15:45it's entering now its 20th day.
15:47What is the EU doing to stop it?
15:49And is this Europe's war?
15:51Well, it's not from the beginning Europe's war
15:54and Israel didn't ask, you know,
15:56for EU participation.
16:00We now see the effects,
16:01the economic effects of the war.
16:04But I would also think
16:06we need some strategic patience
16:07because we are now in the third week.
16:10I expect it ongoing for two, three more weeks.
16:13But then, and this was also seen
16:15from the leaders of the Gulf.
16:18You know, they are also very furious about Iran.
16:20And I think there will be a reshaping
16:21of the Middle East.
16:23And, you know.
16:24Do you support the war?
16:26Do you support what Israel is doing now,
16:27especially in Lebanon?
16:30Well, supporting is said too much,
16:33but I think it's a huge,
16:35I understand the opportunity for Israel
16:38because now to fight Hezbollah,
16:40what Lebanon leaders also want to do,
16:42the Lebanese army wants to do.
16:44It is a big opportunity
16:45to throw back Hezbollah strongly
16:52because now they lack the support of Iran.
16:55And I think, you know,
16:56this could reshape really the relations
16:58between Lebanon and Israel.
17:00And this would, you know,
17:01bring a lot of more security to Israel,
17:03which was the problem all the time.
17:05But are you concerned that one million people now
17:07are displaced in Lebanon?
17:09Sure.
17:10I mean, the war always brings
17:11displaced people with it,
17:13but we also have to remind
17:14that there are thousands of displaced Israelis
17:17in the north of Israel
17:19because they were attacked constantly
17:21for the last two years from Hezbollah.
17:23So Hezbollah took the opportunity
17:25after the attack of Hamas
17:27to attack also Israel very strongly.
17:30So this is an escalation
17:31which took place over the last two years.
17:33and I do understand that's a whole concept.
17:36It's not only throwing back
17:37Iran's nuclear and ballistic missiles,
17:39but also the immediate threat
17:41through terror organizations,
17:42which aggress Israel every day.
17:45And another big topic this week,
17:47your party celebrated 50 years
17:49with a big celebration
17:50that was overshadowed
17:51by the big scandal facing Manfred Weber,
17:53your boss,
17:54for working very closely with the far right.
17:56Should Manfred Weber resign, do you think?
17:58Oh, no.
17:59No, of course not.
18:00But we should have a very clear line
18:02regarding the ESN
18:03because this is mainly constituted
18:05of AFD members.
18:07So we have a very clear strategy
18:11not to work with them
18:12and we should not do this on any levels
18:14if it's true.
18:15But he did it.
18:16Yeah, but he said also
18:17it's not needed in numbers
18:18and it's not needed in content.
18:20And we should be very clear about that
18:22and show that they are not needed
18:23and have no influence on our politics.
18:25And apart from the WhatsApp group,
18:26is there more encounters
18:27taking place with the AFD?
18:28Dinners, lunches?
18:30Not that I know
18:31and I think I'm one of those
18:33who is very much asking
18:35for a very, very strict line
18:37and I think we should,
18:37we will discuss this
18:39in the next group meeting
18:40and I'll be a strong supporter
18:41of keeping this very clear,
18:43clear red line
18:44and I think it should also be acceptable
18:46for other members of the group.
18:47But it just finally did it
18:47dampen the mood
18:48at the big party this week?
18:51Well, I mean,
18:51it's a very German issue.
18:53I think it was not reported
18:55in other countries
18:57so maybe that's...
18:58Well, it's being reported here
18:59on Euronews live to the world.
19:01Miss Bento,
19:02thank you so much
19:02for coming into us here
19:03on Europe Today
19:04on Euronews.
19:05Take care.
19:06And that, of course,
19:07brings this edition
19:08of Europe Today to an end.
19:10Thank you so much
19:10for tuning in.
19:11You can read more
19:12about any of the stories
19:13we're covering
19:13and, of course,
19:14more in-depth analysis
19:15on that EU Summit
19:16on Euronews.com.
19:18Thanks again for tuning in.
19:19Take care
19:19and see you soon
19:20on Euronews.
19:46Euronews.
19:59Υπότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE
Comments