Ukraine To Get F-16s

Hungary again seeks to spoil EU efforts to arm Ukraine and impose new sanctions on Russia just as Britain and the Netherlands got a green light from the U.S. administration to equip Kyiv with F-16 jets. The fate of Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine besieged by Russian forces for months, remains contested despite claims by mercenaries from the Wagner group that they captured it.

Upcoming on Visegrad Insight:

• Adrian Mihaltianu breaks down how anger at mainstream parties is boosting extremists in Romania.
• Iván László Nagy explores how campaigns for next year’s EP and municipal elections have ramped up in Hungary and what’s at stake.
• Three Seas Initiative Ministerial Conference on Digital Transformation takes place in Bucharest on 22 May. Click here to read our report on the initiative.

EU/REGIONAL

• The US administration gave a green light to the re-export of F-16s to Ukraine after Britain and the Netherlands pledged to deliver them. Both countries have large fleets of F16s, which are being replaced by more advanced fighters.
• EU set to pass 11th round of sanctions against Russia. The new package targets those bypassing EU bans on the export of dual-use goods, advanced technologies and critical components used in weapons and manufacturing. The initial draft listed seven Chinese companies that could be Included in the package; however, after Berlin expressed concern over targeting China, the most recent is more cautious about how the EU proposes limited trade with third-party countries.
• Hungary has blocked the disbursement of 500 mln euros from an EU facility financing ammunition and armaments deliveries to Ukraine by member countries. Foreign Minister Szijjarto, who visited Bejing on 15 May to discuss new automotive investments by Chines firms, spoke again against new sanctions on Russia and opposed EU steps to blacklist some Chinese firms suspected of helping to circumvent sanctions.
• President Zelenskyy made a surprise appearance at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, seeking to draw India’s PM Modi and Brasil President Lula away from a pro-Russia stance. The Japanese hosts used his appearance to underline parallels between Ukraine and Taiwan. G7 leaders issued strong criticism of China over security and economic issues. EU Commission president’s statement here G7 Session III.
• Germany to publish its delayed national security strategy amid expectations from allies in Washington and CEE that the largest EU member state will pledge to do substantially more to strengthen the bloc’s eastern flank against Russia’s aggression
• Nuclear energy. French Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said nuclear power must be treated on par with renewable sources in all European legislation. The demand comes with key legislation put on ice amid a last-minute protest from the country, complicating the bloc’s efforts to speed up its switch away from fossil fuels.
• Russia faces huge labour shortages due to war and migration. According to a recent survey, 35 per cent of enterprises lack a sufficient workforce.
• A new report by the EU Parliament’s committee on foreign interference outlines a strategy to protect the EU from countries that may try to interfere with elections and manipulate information online.

FM Szijjártó announced that the Hungarian government will withhold approval for the next installment of the European Peace Facility until Ukraine removes OTP from the list of international sponsors of the war and refrains from supporting new sanctions. Szijjártó expressed… pic.twitter.com/hZWFt2N2lJ