This week’s EU summit in Cyprus took place in a noticeably calmer atmosphere without Viktor Orbán, who is set to leave office after losing the election. For 16 years, he had been one of the main sources of tension within the European Union, Politico reports.
However, his absence did not resolve underlying issues — if anything, it exposed them.
Europe without “convenient scapegoat”
Diplomats at the summit acknowledged behind the scenes that Orbán had long served as a kind of scapegoat for internal conflicts.
Now, without him, the EU is forced to confront its differences more openly and honestly.
Ukraine: fast-track membership or cautious realism
One of the first major divisions emerged over Ukraine’s EU membership. Some leaders support accelerating Kyiv’s integration, while others urge caution.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, speaking in the presence of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, emphasized the need to consider “realities”, a signal that consensus remains out of reach.
Energy under pressure: sanctions or economic survival
Another sharp debate focused on energy policy. Europe faces a dual challenge:
- fuel shortages amid escalating tensions around Iran
- the need to maintain and strengthen sanctions against Russia
This creates a direct dilemma between economic stability and political commitments.
Endless debates: budget, strategy, and future of EU
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Even without Orbán, EU leaders continued lengthy discussions over budget priorities, development strategy, and the Union’s long-term direction.
In effect, the summit demonstrated that the EU’s core problem is not individual politicians, but deeper structural divisions among member states.
Russia plays its violin at the Cyprus meeting
Earlier, the Center for Countering Disinformation reported that Russia is attempting to organize staged protests in Cyprus aimed against EU policy, the decision to allocate a €90 billion loan to Ukraine, and to discredit President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The “protests” are reportedly planned to run through 25 April under the guise of anti-war slogans. However, this reflects a typical Russian tactic of shifting responsibility for the war onto Ukraine, the EU, and NATO. The central message is expected to demand an “immediate halt to EU funding of the war in Ukraine.”
Through such provocative actions, the Kremlin seeks to undermine support for Ukraine and trigger divisions within the European Union.
