Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico
The Slovak strongman has already signaled his intent to derail Thursday’s summit, announcing on X that he is “not interested in dealing with new sanctions packages” against Russia unless the EU comes up with a plan to help Slovakia’s struggling automotive sector. Leaders are expected to finally approve the 19th package, announced last month, at the summit.
Fico is among the most Kremlin-friendly leaders in the EU, visiting Moscow last December and again in May, and has raised objections to sanctions before, though he has ultimately always backed down from his repeated threats to block each new package. It’s likely he will do so again, perhaps after extracting some concessions for Bratislava’s car industry.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán
The EU’s agitator-in-chief is, as always, expected to cause a ruckus. Orbán has stood in the way of unanimity at previous summits, especially on the subject of funneling financial and military aid to Ukraine, forcing the other 26 EU member countries to put out a joint statement without his signature. He could do so again.
He has also repeatedly spoken out against a plan to seize Russian assets, arguing it could harm Budapest’s relations with Moscow. As a result, the EU is working on a way to legally sidestep his veto — which, if the bloc can pull it off, is sure to rile the typically pugnacious Hungarian leader. Orbán’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, denied Hungary would block the 19th package of sanctions.
Unusually, Orbán is expected to skip much of the summit due to a national holiday commemorating the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. He will arrive later in the day (though his presence is still sure to loom over the proceedings) and be represented at the discussions in the meantime by Fico.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever
Who’d have thought that compromise-obsessed Belgium would become the one to throw its weight around at a European Council?
