- 1 minute ago
Europe Today: Péter Magyar first visit to Brussels and China-EU tensions rising
Tune in to Europe Today, Euronews' flagship morning programme at 8 am Brussels time. In just 20 minutes, we bring you up to speed on the biggest news of the day.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/04/30/europe-today-peter-magyar-first-visit-to-brussels-and-china-eu-tensions-rising
Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages
Tune in to Europe Today, Euronews' flagship morning programme at 8 am Brussels time. In just 20 minutes, we bring you up to speed on the biggest news of the day.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/04/30/europe-today-peter-magyar-first-visit-to-brussels-and-china-eu-tensions-rising
Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:14good morning it's Thursday the 30th of April this is Europe Today and I'm Maret Gwynn coming to you
00:21live from Brussels with the news and analysis to start your day coming up today incoming Hungarian
00:27leader Peter Magyar has said that billions in frozen EU cash will flow to Hungary soon after
00:33what he described as a constructive and productive meeting with the European Commission chief Magyar
00:38said he'd be back in Brussels by the end of May to conclude a deal and ahead of a closely
00:43watched
00:44EU-China meeting next month tensions are steadily rising China has vowed countermeasures if the EU
00:50goes ahead with plans to shield its homegrown industries we look closer at the points of
00:56tension and after militia groups seized parts of Mali and killed the country's defense minister
01:02over the weekend Russia has claimed that its paramilitary help prevents a coup we speak to
01:08the EU's special representative to the Sahel about what the uptick in violence means for the EU's
01:13strategic approach to the region and in other news this morning Ukraine has formally asked Israel to
01:20arrest a cargo ship carrying what Kyiv says is stolen Ukrainian grain meanwhile Russia has said it will
01:26scale back its victory day parade next month blaming what it describes as a threat from Ukraine but first
01:34to our top story this morning Hungary's incoming leader Peter Magyar made his Brussels debut yesterday
01:39meeting Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for talks on unlocking frozen EU funds for more we can go
01:47straight now to our Europe editor Maria Tadeau good morning good morning it was a big expectation
01:52ahead of this meeting yesterday but what was actually achieved well there was a lot of expectation but it
01:58was a short visit it was practically in and out from Brussels Peter Magyar went straight to meetings
02:03with the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa no questions from the media
02:09just a photo op in a way that reflects the moment in time for Peter Magyar he is not yet
02:15the Prime Minister of
02:16Hungary and the fact that they're meeting at this stage is significant for two reasons married it
02:22speaks to the urgency of the moment of course the goal now for Peter Magyar is to access the funding
02:28the
02:28money that is blocked a big part of it is the 10 billion years connected to the recovery fund that
02:33was put
02:34forward after the pandemic he either gets a deal before the end of August or this money will quite
02:39literally go to waste and then of course a political momentum between the two sides this is a moment in
02:45which
02:45both agree now after very tumultuous of course years under Viktor Orban that they want a reset that
02:51they want better political relations between Brussels and Budapest and this is now the moment to begin
02:57talks we know there's been talks at a technical level now they have moved on into a political level
03:02between Peter Magyar and the head of the commission as I say the money 10 billion years is not insignificant
03:07for an economy the size of Hungary and he also said he will be back then in terms of the
03:13meeting
03:14itself he did put out a tweet after just speaking with von der Leyen in which he said we had
03:20very highly
03:21constructive and productive meetings with the head of the European Commission and in one sentence
03:25EU funds will soon start and this is the key arriving in Hungary enabling us to kickstart
03:32the Hungarian economy so the focus very much on the money and as I said he's already said he will
03:38be back
03:38in Brussels on May 25th obviously he will be prime minister by then so optimistic rhetoric Maria but
03:44a tight deadline well very much and honestly this sounds very optimistic when I look at this because
03:49the deadline is tight if you look at this in practical levels you are almost factoring four months of money
03:56that has been blocked now for years over very serious issues that are not easy to fix overnight and
04:02they have to do with not just allegations of corruption but also the idea of rule of law and
04:07the judiciary this is also going to be politically sensitive for the two of them because Peter Magyar
04:12clearly needs the money he clearly has the Hungarian economy in focus but he also has to walk a very
04:18fine
04:19line and that is not being seen as perceived as certainly in Hungary as a man who is simply saying
04:24yes
04:24to the commission and as a man who's simply taking orders from the head of the commission and when it
04:29comes
04:29to the European institutions too this is also delicate because they need to show that money is
04:35not political and merit money is always political but they need to also show that there is merit behind
04:42this that there are real changes that are going to happen in Hungary and of course there's a cautionary
04:47tale with Poland because if you go back in time when Donald Tusk won the election also promising a reset
04:53with the European Union the institutions rushed to unlock money but then of course now the Polish are
04:59really struggling to change fundamental issues like the judiciary because of the presidential veto
05:04Magyar does not have that issue he has a super majority but he does have this issue of the timing
05:10the authority the language around this and of course this is going to be tricky for the two of them
05:14to
05:15arrive to this point in August but obviously that is how a Brussels deal works it needs to be seen
05:19as
05:19difficult for the deal to happen. Okay Maria thank you so much for that analysis. Now weeks before a
05:27closely watched EU-China meeting tensions are threatening to boil over between both sides. China
05:33has publicly criticized Brussels multiple times in the past week including over its plans to shield its
05:40homegrown EU industries. So is there a road back to even-handed diplomacy or more fighting ahead?
05:48For more we're joined in the studio this morning by our correspondent Angela Scugins. Angela great to see you
05:53again and remind us why are these tensions boiling up again this week? Good morning Marid. So like so
06:00many of these international spats it is mostly centered on trade. Beijing came out with a statement
06:06this week blasting the EU's push to supercharge industry and support the local manufacturing of
06:13products such as cars, solar panels, aluminium and cement. They stated that spokesperson from the
06:20Chinese commerce industry, Chinese commerce industry has stated that this push could potentially
06:25violate world trade organization principles and hurt foreign investment. It's important to point out
06:31that many see this push as a way to even out that trade deficit with 300 billion euros the difference
06:39in
06:402024 with European manufacturers paying the price. I managed to speak to an MEP from the European
06:47parliament. Sakis Arnautoglu who sits on the delegation regarding EU-China relations. He pointed out that there is a
06:56difference in the dynamics between the duo when it comes to trade but maybe finally the EU is speaking a
07:02language that China recognizes. For many years we believed openness alone was enough but today we know
07:09resilience matters too because otherwise you cannot survive in this environment and China has been
07:16very tough. We don't seek any confrontation but I think Europe must stop being vulnerable and some
07:24say we have been a little bit naive too.
07:28And MEP speaking there to me about the difference between the European Union and China, the EU's big push to
07:36become more autonomous when it comes to supply chains and those products. It's also important to point out
07:42that Beijing is furious regarding an EU push to change the Cyber Security Act as well as by placing at
07:50least a dozen
07:51defence companies on a sanctions ban. But all eyes will be on an important EU-China conference expected to take
07:59place
07:59on May the 12th. The event is being billed as an opportunity for a frank discussion among delegates as well
08:09as
08:09politicians. So all eyes will be on this to see whether the conversation can continue or whether it will peter
08:15out.
08:16Angela, we'll be keeping an eye on that conference I'm sure on May the 12th. Thank you so much for
08:21that.
08:22We're turning to Mali now because last weekend armed groups including separatist and jihadist militants carried out
08:29coordinated attacks across the country, killing the defence minister. The wider Sahel region has been experiencing a period of
08:36profound instability with European credibility in the region in steep decline, as our reporter Estelle Nilsen-Julian explains.
08:46Europe is grappling with strategic security concerns on all fronts, from the Middle East to Russia's war against Ukraine.
08:54But there is another crisis that Europe cannot ignore. The ongoing situation in the Sahel, where a Q epidemic has
09:01been underway since 2020.
09:03Over the weekend, an alliance of al-Qaeda-linked jihadists and Touareg separatists staged the largest coordinated attack on Mali
09:11in over a decade.
09:13These two groups may have different ideologies, but they share the same opponent. The military junta that has run Mali
09:20since 2020, backed by Russia.
09:22France has since urged any citizens currently in Mali to leave the country. But this isn't just about Mali.
09:29The country sits in the Sahel region, a belt that stretches across West and Central Africa, where coups and jihadist
09:36violence have been rising in recent years.
09:39Since 2022, France has been dismantling its military presence in the region, pushed out by a growing anti-Western sentiment
09:47and a shift of support in favour of Russia.
09:50Although Europe has been working to strengthen ties with Mauritania and coastal Western African countries, it has struggled to implement
09:57a unified strategy.
09:59The situation has major consequences for the bloc. Officials have long warned that Sahel terrorism is a threat to European
10:06security.
10:07The belt also sits on key migration routes, meaning instability could drive more migrants towards Europe.
10:15Europe is failing to claw back relevance while Russia and China are consolidating their foothold.
10:25Well, yesterday I sat down with the EU's special representative to the Sahel, Shuao Gravino, and I started by asking
10:32him what the most recent uptick in violence in Mali could mean for the EU's strategy towards the region.
10:39Well, firstly, it means very clearly that the situation is extremely unstable.
10:44It is a situation of very precarious stability, meaning that what happened on the weekend can happen again.
10:55So this is really a terrible situation above all for the Malian population.
10:59What it means is very simply that it has become clear that there is no military solution to the situation
11:08in the Sahel as a whole, including Burkina Faso and Niger.
11:13This comes following years of instability, including successive military coups in many countries in the central Sahel.
11:21We also know that the EU has lost real clout and influence in the region.
11:27Do you see the possibility now to claw back some of this influence?
11:31And is it possible to do that while Moscow, but also Beijing, Tehran, has such a visible presence?
11:38Well, firstly, I think it is absolutely correct and normal for us to acknowledge that we have no monopoly in
11:46the region.
11:47This is a region that must be respected for what it is, and it is perfectly legitimate for other countries
11:54to have partnerships with other parts of the world.
11:57However, having said that, I don't think any other part of the world has the same level of direct interest
12:05as Europe does.
12:06What is clear is that over the past few years, we have had a series of monologues between us rather
12:14than a dialogue.
12:15We have not been, and it's a mea culpa here, we have not been capable of listening and understanding properly,
12:22as we should.
12:23We have not really been capable also of explaining what our interests are in the region.
12:29And by the same measure, I think there has been a failure in terms of dialogue on the other side.
12:35So the idea of deepening and making a lot and improving our dialogue is fundamental.
12:43That's a starting point.
12:44And we're on the road.
12:45We've been doing that over the last year, year and a half.
12:49And I think there's quite a lot of recognition.
12:51Our relations with those regimes now have bridges which did not exist some time ago.
12:58Would you say that the incidents in Mali could have undermined maybe the reputation or the image of Russia as
13:06a security partner?
13:07And could that lead to maybe efforts to diversify security ties from Mali?
13:13Well, firstly, I think, of course, the Malians are going to have to do some reassessments.
13:18It's theirs to do, and I can't tell them what to do.
13:23But I think that it's obvious, due to the tremendous security failures of the past week, that they need to
13:31do some reassessment.
13:32Secondly, it's very clear that there is no solution through military means alone.
13:39The Russians only offer military support.
13:41They offer nothing else.
13:42Do you fear that the Sahel is being neglected?
13:44And what could be the cost of that for Europe?
13:47Well, I think it is very evident that there is limited bandwidth from our political deciders.
13:55I have had an interesting experience as a special representative of the European Union.
14:00I've been visiting most European capitals and speaking with ministers.
14:04All the ministers tell me the Sahel is geopolitically strategic.
14:08And yet, they don't have time.
14:11They don't have time because of everything else that is happening.
14:14And the cost of that for Europe?
14:15The cost of that is that the situation is getting worse.
14:20But what I do believe is that we are developing the instruments to be able to take advantage of opportunities
14:27when they arise.
14:28And I think the opportunities will arise when it becomes evident that Europe is still the best possible partner for
14:36those countries.
14:40Moving on now, there will be no military hardware on show in Russia's Victory Day parade next month for the
14:47first time in almost 20 years.
14:49As Moscow claims, it is under threat from Ukraine.
14:53In a phone call with US President Donald Trump yesterday, President Putin also said he would unilaterally declare a ceasefire
15:01in his war against Ukraine for the duration of Victory Day celebrations.
15:05We can cross over now to the European Parliament in Strasbourg and to our correspondent, Vincenzo Genovese, who is there
15:11for us this week.
15:12And Vincenzo, on this issue of Russia, it also featured prominently in a debate on EU-Russia ties in the
15:19hemicycle last night.
15:23Yes, Mared, indeed. Good morning. Good morning from Strasbourg.
15:26It was quite a heated debate yesterday evening, as the topic is highly controversial among MEPs and also full discussion
15:33across Europe.
15:34Currently, we know Russian teams are excluded from sports competitions and Russia remains banned from cultural events such as the
15:41Eurovision Song Contest,
15:42but not from, for example, Venice Biennale, the world's most renowned contemporary art exhibition.
15:48So the question is, should you talk to Russia through diplomacy or at least through sports and arts or not?
15:56Let's put it to Vincenzo, who is an MEP from the Greens Hefa Group and chairs the European Parliament Russian
16:03delegation.
16:04Good morning. Welcome.
16:05Good morning. Good morning.
16:07Should we talk to Russia or not?
16:09I think we have to be very clear that Russia uses all connections or conciliation from our side as a
16:17way to show that they would have international legitimacy for their war crimes in Ukraine
16:21and ongoing slaughter of Ukrainians.
16:26So Russia has committed thousands of war crimes, torture of prisoners, rape of Ukrainian women, and these are kind of
16:37like systematic.
16:38So we have to remember that as long as the war continues and Putin does not take responsibility for the
16:44war crimes and Russia does not stop invading Ukraine,
16:48there is nothing we can talk about with Russia and we should not give them any legitimacy through sports or
16:54culture.
16:54The war continues, as you said, but Putin, Vladimir Putin, announced a ceasefire for the Victory Day.
17:00Do you believe him is a serious offer?
17:02No, it's not.
17:03I mean, Putin also feels, Russia feels weaker now than they did a year ago.
17:10Ukraine has done a lot of drone attacks inside of Russia, so they start to feel threatened by those attacks.
17:15So this is also for them to try to create a day where they can show their strength, but then
17:22they want Ukrainians not to intervene.
17:25Some Europeans will go there, like Slovak Prime Minister Fitsa. Is it the right choice?
17:29I think it's a totally wrong choice. We don't want to show any support for the current Russian regime in
17:37their kind of like also reimagining the past.
17:40Russia uses the Victory Day as a way of strengthening a very nationalistic future for Russia where human rights are
17:49not supported.
17:50In the meantime, there is also a standoff between Ukraine and Israel for what Kiev says is stolen grains from
17:55occupied territories.
17:56What do you can do on that?
17:58I think you have to be very clear that all the support that we have for Ukraine and all the
18:03conditions and sanctions on Russia
18:05and action against Russians using Ukrainian resources elsewhere have to apply to all countries.
18:10So we have to be strict on Israel as well.
18:12And Israel has to pay if they do wrong on here.
18:16Very clear. Thank you very much, Vileninisto.
18:20It's the last day of the plenary session in Strasbourg and we will follow it as usual on Euronews.
18:25Maren.
18:26Vincenzo there in Strasbourg, thank you so much for that.
18:29And that's it from us for today and for this week.
18:33We'll be back on Monday next week at the same time and the same place with the same news and
18:38analysis to start your day.
18:40In the meanwhile, you can keep up to date with more of our reporting on Euronews and Euronews.com.
18:45You can also get in touch with us, email us at europetoday at euronews.com with your questions, feedback and
18:53tips.
18:54And we'll see you again on Monday next week.
Comments