Can Europe Arm Itself Against Rogue Leaders?

EU circumvents Viktor Orbán’s veto, Miloš Zeman mulls preemptive appointment at the helm of the constitutional court and a deputy ombudsman in Poland is dismissed. 

This week on Visegrad Insight:

• Martin Ehl writes about Czechia’s growing role in Central European power and security apparatuses.
• Oksana Forostyna analyses the impact of Western summits on Ukraine.
• Dorka Takacsy looks into the widespread use of propaganda in Hungary and the consequences of living in a permanent state of campaigning.
• Sasha Drik focuses on the global economic mark of Russia’s invasion and how it affects food security from multiple angles.
• Event: NATO 2030 – What Security For Central Europe? Conference in Warsaw on Tuesday 13 December 2022. Click here for more information and to register.

EU/REGIONAL

• EC circumvented Hungary’s veto and approved the 18 billion euro package for Ukraine next year. EU member states could provide individual state credit guarantees as EC adopted the legislative package enabling the aid.
• Schengen enlargement. Croatia was greenlighted to enter Schengen on 1 January; Bulgaria and Romania are in the waiting room after Austria vetoes the two countries’ entry.
• The EU Council meeting on 15 December will address the situation in Ukraine, energy coordination including joint purchases of gas and gas reserve levels, and also the rule of conditionality mechanism for Hungary.
• The European Parliament will debate and vote on revisions in the Renewable Energy Directive (RED IV) enabling the more effective deployment of renewable energy projects.
• EU Foreign Affairs Council to meet 12 December.
• EU – The Eastern Partnership (EaP) ministerial meeting on 12 December will discuss the future of EaP and the consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
• Gas price caps to be discussed at the EU energy ministers meeting on 13 December. Ministers have been holding meetings on Saturday and Monday as disagreements between countries over the final measure are still in place.   
• EU to approve additional 2.1 bn euros for Ukraine military assistance on 12 December.
• The European Commission prepared 9th package of sanctions against Russia. This package includes: imposing sanctions on almost 200 individuals and legal entities, as well as 3 Russian banks; restricting Russian access to drones through potential suppliers from third countries. Like, for example, Iran; new export controls, including dual-use items – including certain chemical components, nerve agents, electronics and software that could be used for military purposes; removal of four more propaganda channels from the air.

Russia targets energy infrastructure in Ukraine to force flee civilians in the middle of winter

UKRAINE