00:01Orban-style vetoes undermine the democratic principles of the European Union, Foreign
00:06Chief Kayakalas tells Euronews.
00:10The European Union's failure to sanction Israel over its military action in Gaza and
00:14Lebanon weakens the collective credibility to defend Ukraine, said Spanish Prime Minister.
00:20EU governments are warning that Brussels' attempt to simplify housing regulation through
00:26its so-called omnibuses could be backfiring.
00:31This week saw the lifting of two Hungarian vetoes, one on the €90 billion loan to Ukraine
00:37and another on the 20th package of sanctions against Russia.
00:41In an interview with Euronews on the sidelines of an informal EU summit in Cyprus, EU Foreign
00:46Chief Kayakalas reflects it on the nature of the veto, frequently used by outgoing Hungarian
00:51Prime Minister Viktor Orban to the frustration of many European leaders.
00:55We have seen recently that actually, you know, when 26 countries want something and one
01:00doesn't, then we do what this one doesn't, one wants to do, not what 26 want to do.
01:07So it's not really democracy.
01:08And we definitely have to also look into our working methods to be more effective, because
01:15in this geopolitical world, we need to be credible.
01:18And by that, we need to be united and able to make decisions.
01:23New leadership in Hungary could also mean progress in Ukraine's EU accession negotiations.
01:28It's very often projected that what all these countries get when they get to the European
01:34Union.
01:34But actually, we need to talk about what do we also benefit from these countries joining a bigger
01:43Europe, a stronger Europe, in terms of defence, in terms of also a bigger single market that
01:49benefits our companies, that makes us more credible geopolitical power in the world.
01:56So it is always a geopolitical choice and we need to work with our public opinion.
02:01But is there a risk that the European Union will not fulfill the big promise that it has made
02:06to Ukraine?
02:10I hope it's not the case.
02:13We are working for this fulfillment because it is, like I said, we also need Ukraine in
02:20Europe to be stronger when it comes to defence, for example.
02:24They are the strongest defence force that there is in Europe right now.
02:28I mean, and Europe would be stronger also if Ukraine would be with us.
02:36The European Union's failure to sanction Israel over its military action in Gaza and Lebanon
02:42weakens the collective credibility and legitimacy to defend Ukraine against Russia's full-scale
02:48invasion, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said on Friday.
03:13His warning comes a few days after Spain's renewed push to terminate the EU-Israel Association agreement
03:19in response to the deadly strikes against Lebanon was met with broad opposition from other EU member
03:25states.
03:26Germany and Italy, which are key to achieving the necessary qualified majority vote in favour
03:32of a partial suspension, remain on the fence.
03:36Sanchez made the case to his fellow EU leaders during an informal summit in Cyprus, pointing to
03:42an internal review by Brussels that found Israel in breach of Article 2 of the Association agreement,
03:48which imposes binding obligations to respect human rights.
03:52Israel has long contested the Spanish criticism, arguing its military offences in Gaza and Lebanon
03:59were designed to eliminate the threats posed by Hamas and Hezbollah, respectively, both of which
04:05are backed by Iran.
04:10Two people were killed and more than a dozen injured in a Russian strike overnight on the
04:15Black Sea port city of Odessa, Ukraine regional authorities said on Friday.
04:20The state emergency service of Ukraine reported residential buildings and civilian infrastructure
04:26were hit, sparking major fires.
04:28Authorities also reported a Russian drone also struck a merchant ship sailing under the flag
04:36of St. Kate's and Nevis that was heading to the port of Odessa.
04:40Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the U.S.-based Resume for Ukraine organization, in partnership
04:46with the American Coalition for Ukraine, on Wednesday installed a display of 20,000 teddy bears
04:53at the National Mall in Washington.
04:56The stuffed bears are meant to represent the estimated 20,000 Ukrainian children that have
05:02been abducted by Russian forces since the war in Ukraine began in 2022.
05:09Next to me, here on this wall, you see teddy bears.
05:13They're a symbol of childhood and innocence, a very thing that makes a child feel safe when
05:18they're scared.
05:19But each of these teddy bears represents a child who has not only had their innocence
05:24stolen from them, but their identity.
05:27According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, some 2,100 abducted children have been returned
05:34to their loved ones by the Bring Kids Back UA initiative since 2023.
05:44Russian soldiers who took part in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine should be banned for life
05:49from the Schengen area, Estonia's Prime Minister Christian Mihal has told your own news.
05:54The Estonian government argues that the Kremlin's expanded mobilization increases the likelihood
06:01that former combatants could threaten the EU even once hostilities are over.
06:06What will those people do? Most of them are criminals, but they have to be treated as heroes
06:12inside Russia. So, once again, I would ask everybody that, do you want these guys near
06:17to your home? No, you don't. So, that's why you have to ban them for life from Schengen.
06:24Estonia has already banned about 1,300 Russian fighters, Mihal said. But given the sheer amount
06:31of Russian soldiers, the Prime Minister seeks to turn the proposal into an EU-wide policy.
06:37Estonia is promoting the Schengen ban since earlier this year and has gained support from other EU
06:43countries. The European Council even included the project in its conclusions at the March summit.
06:55EU governments are warning that Brussels' attempt to simplify housing regulation through its so-called
07:02omnibuses could be backfiring. Concerns grow that new rules may actually slow down urgently needed projects.
07:10A letter led by Ireland and backed by six other EU countries reveals.
07:15The Irish government has asked Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis to rethink plans to accelerate
07:22permitting procedures. It's stressed that faster approvals are vital to deliver housing and critical
07:29infrastructure. Alongside Ireland, Austria, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia argued that
07:37the issue is not over regulation but poor alignment of EU laws. The request comes as Ireland faces
07:44a deepening housing crisis marked by soaring rents, widespread homelessness and chronic supply shortages.
07:51The issue extends beyond Ireland. House prices in the EU rose by 53 percent between 2010 and 2024
07:59and rents by 25 percent.
08:07The next Hungarian government can decide whether the European Union's prosecution service will be able to
08:13investigate potential violations to investigate potential violations by the outgoing government of
08:16Viktor Orban. Newly joined member states can choose to allow the body to have jurisdiction in their
08:22country from the moment they join or from the time of the establishment of the EPPO five years ago.
08:28Poland said that when they sent a request to the European Commission they said that they want to join EPPO
08:34and their competence would start from the moment when we became operational for 2021. So it's a kind of
08:42retroactive competence and they could do it. It was in Sweden. When they joined EPPO they said that the competence
08:50will start for the moment that they will join. So all the crimes that were committed after the moment that
08:56they joined. So we have
08:57two different situations in EPPO. Let's see how Hungary will choose to deal with this.
09:05Viktor Orban, a fierce critic of the EU, has previously opposed Hungary from joining the EPPO.
09:11But Piedr Magyar, who beat him comprehensively in the Hungarian elections earlier this month,
09:16has regularly stated he would push for accession.
09:19From the EPPO side, I can tell you that we are ready. Whatever need, whatever help our colleagues
09:28in Hungary will need, we can deliver. 24 member states are currently part of the EPPO with the
09:34exception of Ireland and Denmark. The office is an independent body that is responsible for
09:40investigating and prosecuting crimes against the financial interests of the EU.
09:47As global energy routes shift and geopolitical tensions reshape supply chains, the Caspian region
09:53is becoming increasingly strategic. The Caspian and Central Asia Oil Trading and Logistics Forum is the
09:58latest platform to discuss the challenges that lie ahead. As you know, Azerbaijan is really a gate
10:03for the movement between east and west, and investment into this part of the world is crucial
10:09and important, and particularly highlighting geopolitical situations. The middle corridor links
10:15Central Asia to Europe through the Caspian Sea, South Caucasus and Turkey. As traditional supply
10:20chains face disruption, governments and companies are looking to diversify transport routes and reduce
10:26geopolitical risk. 80% of oil goes via CPC pipeline, Caspian Pipeline Consortium. That's why
10:34middle corridor, as I said, is very important, and definitely Kazakhstan is seeking alternative roads
10:40and investors who can support this road. Azerbaijan sits at the center of that corridor, connecting oil
10:47and refined products from Central Asia and the Caspian Basin to global markets through pipelines,
10:53ports and rail networks. Work with the governments, these area governments. It would help all around,
10:58and it would be a hedge against these volatile significant costs that go up for the individual
11:05companies. It would be much better for them. But expanding capacity remains a major challenge,
11:10from port infrastructure to rail connections and shipping across the Caspian Sea, both westwards
11:15and east. I think that these Central Asian countries need to look at Pakistan specifically,
11:22and South Asia in general, in terms of investing in infrastructure to bring their gas down south.
11:30As governments and companies search for more resilient supply chains,
11:33the race to develop new corridors across Eurasia is accelerating, placing the Caspian region
11:38firmly on the global energy map. Nadira Tudor, Euronews, Baku.
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