Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today!
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The Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, has said the alliance is “ready to defend every inch” of its territory (9:37) after a Russian drone hit an apartment building in Romania (9:30), a member state, during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine, leaving two people injured.
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Nato has confirmed that the drone was of Russian origin (18:38), despite Vladimir Putin (17:56) and the Russian foreign ministry’s attempts to question its responsibility for the incident (15:29).
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In response, Romania’s president Nicușor Dan has declared a Russian consul in the southeastern seaside city of Constanța “a persona non grata” (13:52) prompted Russia’s immediate threats of retaliation (13:55).
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Nato allies have also offered to temporarily relocate some air defence equipment to Romania to help it deal with similar incidents as it builds up its own capacity to deal with drones, Dan said (13:52).
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The incident comes amid Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s warnings about a possible “new massive attack” on Ukraine from Russia in the coming days (13:27).
Elsewhere,
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The EU is to release more than €16bn to Hungary that had been frozen under the rule of Viktor Orbán (14:11, 14:11, 14:14, 14:20), with Ursula von der Leyen hailing the “winds of change” in the country since the election of Péter Magyar last month.
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During a joint press conference in Brussels, von der Leyen and Magyar spoke about the planned reforms as they signed off on a political deal to reset tricky relations between Budapest and Brussels (14:09, 14:17, 14:29, 15:10).
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Budapest has to complete all the agreed reforms and investments by 31 August for the money to be paid out (17:45), with some major questions on Ukraine and defence projects yet to be fully answered (17:49).
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Earlier today, Hungarian police have said they will not ban next month’s Budapest Pride parade, signalling a shift in policy under the new prime government (11:15).
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Updated
Nato confirms the drone that crashed in Romania was ‘of Russian origin’
The drone that crashed into an apartment block in Romania during an attack on neighbouring Ukraine was of Russian origin, the spokesperson for Nato’s military headquarters SHAPE, said in comments reported by Reuters.
'Russia's aggression does not stop at borders,' Romania's president warns
Fair to say that the Romanian president, Nicușor Dan, does not seem to share Putin’s doubts.
He just spoke with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and said “the Russian drone incident” was “the most serious” event of this sort on Romanian soil since Russia’s large-scale aggression on Ukraine in 2022.
He added:
“As our allies and partners across Europe and the world have made clear today, Russia’s aggression does not stop at borders. By continuing to attack Ukraine and threatening neighbouring Nato members, Russia demonstrates total disregard for international law and innocent civilian lives. This must stop.”
He added that “Russia must end its attacks and engage in meaningful dialogue toward a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
In the meantime, Romania and Ukraine will look to “accelerate” their co-production of drones to help with defending the eastern flank of Nato, Dan said.
Updated
Putin questions if drone found in Romania was Russian, calls for wreckage to be handed over for Russian investigation
Sticking to the earlier line from the Russian ministry of foreign affairs, Russian president Vladimir Putin questioned if the drone which crashed into an apartment block in Romania was from Russia and suggested it could have been a Ukrainian drone.
Putin told reporters he had only just heard of the incident, Reuters reported.
Rejecting international criticism, the Russian president suggested that the drone wreckage be handed over to Russia so that Moscow can conduct its own independent investigation.
He suggested that Ukrainian drones flew into Poland and the Baltic states before, and “I think we have the same situation here.”
Finally, let’s get a final update on Romania, as Russia’s Vladimir Putin has been speaking in the last half hour.
Hungary's policy towards Ukraine's EU membership remains an active topic in talks Brussels - snap analysis
Brussels correspondent
Magyar won a landslide victory last month, with a promise to “bring home” Hungary’s frozen EU funds, immobilised over concerns about the rule of law and corruption under his long-serving predecessor, Viktor Orbán.
He has now taken a big step towards that goal – despite some senior EU officials previously suggesting Hungary might be too late to access the full amount.
But mixed into the discussion on the broader reset in EU-Hungarian relations is also Budapest’s approach to Ukraine’s EU accession.
The Commission hopes to open the “first cluster” – some of the 35 chapters of EU law required to join the bloc – with Ukraine in June, but that requires Hungary to lift the veto set by Orbán.
Magyar said on Thursday that he could only agree to opening the first chapter in EU negotiations with Kyiv, if there was an agreement on minority rights for ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine, while describing those talks as “encouraging”.
We heard a bit more on that today, although in similarly cautious tone (14:40).
Separately to the decisions on EU funds made today, there is also an outstanding question of Budapest’s access to €16.2bn in cheap loans for defence projects under the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme.
Updated
Hungary needs to complete reforms by August to get big EU pay out
We are getting more details from Brussels over the agreed EU-Hungary deal.
Budapest has to complete all the agreed reforms and investments by 31 August to access €10bn of the €16.4bn in frozen Hungary funds set to be unlocked by the EU.
It will then have one month to submit the evidence it has completed the reforms and the Commission will then have until the end of November to review their case before disbursing the money at the end of the year.
The €10bn is part of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Fund and include about €2.2bn which can be released to universities if academic freedoms are restored.
Another €1.1bn has been identified as reimbursements that were owing to Hungary if it had complies with the recovery and resilience regulation by the end of August.
Bulgaria to end US military plane refuelling rights amid dispute over visa-free entry
Meanwhile, Bulgaria said it would terminate at the end of next month the authorisation for US military refuelling planes to be based at Sofia airport amid a visa dispute between the Nato allies.
Bulgarians are among the last European Union nationals not to have visa-free entry for tourist visits to the United States, AFP noted.
US KC-135 Stratotanker jets have been based at Sofia since mid-February, just ahead of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, and in mid-May six were still present at the Bulgarian capital’s airport.
Radev was asked today whether he had raised the visa issue with Trump and said “I don’t have a positive response at this stage”.
We can only speculate that the issue may have come up during Radev’s meeting with Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte in Brussels yesterday, as Trump will no doubt not like this decision and it could further deepen his frustration with Nato allies in Europe.
Ukraine has intensified its drone strikes on Russian military supply routes over recent weeks, including major highways linking Russian-occupied cities, according to analysts and military bloggers.
The strikes coincide with a broader strengthening in the position of the Ukrainian army, which started making net battlefield gains this year for the first time since 2023, according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
“Ukraine’s successful mid-range and frontline drone strike campaigns are limiting Russia’s ability to transport personnel to the frontline and to supply and sustain frontline positions,” the ISW said in a report on Wednesday.
Among the roads that Ukraine has targeted are the M-14 highway linking southern Russia to the occupied Ukrainian cities of Melitopol and Mariupol, as well as routes to the Russian-held city of Donetsk, the report said.
The Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will consider suspending Armenia later this year out of concerns its pursuit of European Union membership jeopardises the union’s economic security, according to a joint statement published on Friday.
The country leaders of the EAEU called on Armenia to hold a referendum on its EU membership and include the option of staying in the Moscow-led group.
Russian president Vladimir Putin and other EAEU country leaders met in Astana earlier on Friday to discuss Armenia’s continued membership.
France summons Russian ambassador over Ukraine strikes, Romania incursion
France says it has summoned the Russian ambassador following a spate of Russian strikes against Ukrainian civilians and a drone crash on an apartment building in Romania.
Early on Friday, a drone hit an apartment building in Nato member Romania, wounding two people and drawing condemnation from the Atlantic alliance and the European Union.
It was the first crash into a residential building outside Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
“This new irresponsible escalation, carried out in blatant violation of international law, once again shows that Russia’s war of aggression poses a threat to the security of Europe and Nato as a whole,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Updated
€500m in funds for Hungary held back until restrictions on LGBTQ rights get removed
More details of the unlocking of EU funds for Hungary are emerging.
It is understood that a further €500m had been held back in relation to restrictions on rights for LGBTQ rights.
However, Hungary will have to reverse its 2021 laws that have been ruled discriminatory by the European Court of Justice last month. It ruled that the country’s “child protection” law - which banned or restricted the portrayal of homosexuality and gender reassignment to minors - violates fundamental EU rights and values.
Russia claims no evidence provided for claims about its drones in EU countries
Meanwhile, back to Romania, Russia has claimed there was no evidence that it was their drone that hit an apartment block in Galați – or in fact that they appeared anywhere in the European Union.
“All the accusations that we hear, in particular about drones somewhere in the countries of the European Union, they are all unsubstantiated, not a single fact, material, piece of evidence has been presented,” Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
That’s, obviously, despite the Romanian authorities identifying the drone as Russian Geran 2 model and pointedly blaming Russia for the incident (13:52), alongside multiple EU and Nato allies.
Magyar's success in getting money flowing will give him boost, reset relations with Brussels - snap analysis
Let there be no doubt: this is a massive political victory for Péter Magyar.
Today marks a milestone for both Hungary and the EU and signals a definitive reset of the relationship between Brussels and Budapest after 16 years of growing isolation under Viktor Orbán.
Just weeks after taking office on Europe Day, the new prime minister has successfully persuaded the European Commission to unblock the vast majority of Hungary’s frozen funds – some €16.4bn of a total €18bn.
Magyar made little effort to conceal his satisfaction as he celebrated the move and used the commission’s lectern to lambast Orbán’s nationalist government, repeating his key domestic messages on dismantling alleged state capture and corruption.
But behind the scenes the commission’s decision was likely not taken lightly and it shows a lot of trust that the new Hungarian administration will deliver on its commitments. It’s also clear that there are sill some areas in which the two sides disagree, for example on migration.
Some in Brussels warned that the commission could be more cautious this time round given implementation issues with Poland after 2023. But commission officials clearly must have concluded that Magyar stands on a firmer ground, as he has a clear constitutional majority in the parliament – and they are probably right.
The release of the EU funds will only boost him even further.
Now, for the easy bit of the delivery… Right?
Updated
Magyar tells Hungarian president Sulyok to resign by end of May
Magyar ends with a long and very targeted criticism of Hungary’s president and Orbán loyalist, Tamás Sulyok, telling him once again that he needs to resign by 31 March or face being removed by the new government.
And on that note, the briefing ends.
The final question is on “milestones” – so specific things that Hungary is expected to do – in the coming months.
Von der Leyen says she is confident about “a very solid architecture and landing zone for rule of law topics,” where reforms can be passed quickly.
She sort of suggests that’s also the case with other reforms, saying that the EU can pay the money out once revelant reforms are completed.
Magyar says Hungary will “do our best” to meet as many targets as possible by 31 August to allow for things to progress smoothly.
Von der Leyen confirms there is no formal link between the funds and the accession talks for Ukraine.
She says the accession process is “merit-based,” and there is no need to delay it any further.
Magyar says talks with Ukraine on ethnic Hungarian are progressing
Magyar also gets asked about his government’s relations with Ukraine as Kyiv continues to push for a membership of the EU.
He says there was no formal link between the unfreezing of EU funds and the opening of the first chapter of Ukraine’s accession talks.
He adds that there are separate talks with Ukraine on resolving issues affecting 100,000 ethnic Hungarians who live in Ukraine, including on their use of language and other cultural questions.
He says Budapest has drafted an 11-point proposal on this issue, which he hopes will be acceptable to Kyiv.
The talks are continuing, he says, and once it’s all agreed, he would be open to meeting Zelenskyy in the Hungarian-speaking region of Ukraine to “open a genuinely new chapter” in their relations.
Asked about the EU’s migration pact, one of the sticking points between the two sides, von der Leyen diplomatically says that they “will work very closely” on this.
But Magyar goes all in on the previous prime minister, Viktor Orbán, saying he “had all the time and possibility” to stop it from being adopted, but “never managed to do that.”
He then goes into a rather confusingly complex argument on his perceived weaknesses of the pact, primarily focusing on criticising Orbán time and time again.
Updated
The EU’s von der Leyen breaks down the total once again, as she says it’s €10bn from the NextGenerationEU post-Covid recovery funds, €4.2bn from the EU’s cohesion funds, and €2.2bn for academic freedom.
It’s €16.4bn in total – or, as von der Leyen calls it, “quite a sum.”
Updated
EU-Hungary deal 'sends very strong political signal,' Magyar says
Magyar says his government has “the most robust government majority” in Europe which will allow it to pass all relevant laws, and early polls show a further rise in the public’s support for his Tisza party.
He says the political deal agreed today sends “a very strong political signal.”
Updated
Magyar talks about early plans to spend the newly released money on issues such as electricity grid improvement, new train stock on inter-city routes, and new programmes to support Hungarian small and medium enterprises.
Magyar says that in certain areas, Hungary wants to go further than requested by the EU, including specifically on corruption.
He has formally filed an application to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and wants it to be completed “very quickly.”
He also talks about planned changes to anti-corruption and transparency measures, including an extensive requirement for public officials to declare their interests and assets.
Updated
€16.4bn in funds unlocked for Hungary as part of deal with EU, Magyar says
Magyar says the negotiations continued last night and early this morning, as Hungary “fought for each euro cent.”
He says the total package of unlocked EU funds amount to €16.4bn.
He says it’s about 13% of Hungary’s state budget, “so you get an idea of whar sort of money we are talking about.”
Updated
EU's decision shows Hungary is serious on fighting corruption, Magyar says
Responding, Hungary’s Magyar thanks von der Leyen and the EU for the progress in talks so far, saying many doubted whether this could be done in such a short time.
“There were some points when I thought it this hopeless and it is not feasible so quickly, and everything, but we are here, and we are very happy,” he says.
Switching to Hungarian, he says he has delivered on one of the central pledges of his election campaign, as he celebrates the decision to unlock funds “that Hungarian people deserve” to get.
He pointedly focuses on the new government’s fight against corruption, which he says was at “an incredible level” under the previous administration.
“Three or four weeks were enough for us to complete that the previous government of Viktor Orbán could not accomplish, or maybe they did not want to accomplish it,” he says.
He says the funds will “help kickstart the economy,” and fund public services.
The commission president then turns to fundamental rights, saying some progress has been made on academic freedom, among others, which allows for another €2.2bn to be unblocked.
Von der Leyen says that Hungarian students will be able to benefit from the Erasmus student exchange programme again as soon as the next academic year.
But she pointedly says that “more steps will have to be taken” on the controversial “child protection” law, found illegal last month, which is effectively discriminating LGBTQ community in the country.
Von der Leyen concludes:
“A great deal of work has already been achieved in very short time, and markets are already taking notice. Investors’ confidence is returning, trust is being rebuilt. This gives confidence for the next steps to come, and we will continue to work together at this pace each step of our way.”
Updated
Oh, there is more:
Von der Leyen also says that the commission “have also been able to unlock the conditionality-related cohesion funds,” worth further €4.2bn.
Updated
EU unblocks 10bn in frozen funds for Hungary
Well, that’s it. That’s the headline.
Von der Leyen says that the two teams “agreed on very concrete projects that will support key sectors, such as, for example, energy, housing, but also transport, and small and medium enterprises, just to name a few.”
“Subject to the reforms that are being adopted and investments implemented. I am very happy to announce today that we can unlock €10bn for Hungary,” she says.
Magyar scores a first massive win of his premiership, as he succeeds in getting a political deal with the commission on the funds that would otherwise expire at the end of August.
Updated
Von der Leyen says the EU will “take no shortcuts,” but clearly signals progress was made on the reforms Brussels expected to see from Hungary.
She says “structural reforms” are needed to “fight corruption and state capture” from Orbán-era, as they “unlock billions of euros funding, frozen over the last years.”
She says the new government and the commission “immediately went to work,” within “a robust architecture to ensure that Hungary addresses corruption and rule of law concerns.”
She points out to needed changes to public procurement laws, and Hungary’s planned accession to the European Public Prosecutors Office.
Updated
EU’s von der Leyen says the election night of 12 April “will stay in our memory for a long time,” acknowledging the pro-European course of the new administration after 16 years of clashes with Viktor Orbán.
She says the Hungarian people “chose Europe and they chose democracy,” noting Magyar’s symbolic inauguration on the Europe Day.
But von der Leyen says that beyond symbols, “hard work makes the difference,” as she praises early progress made by Magyar’s government.
“You have formed a government with ministers drawn from the top ranks of their professions who have stepped up for the public interest. Your government is moving with speed and determination to deliver on the promises you have made to the Hungarian people to kickstart the economic recovery, to fight corruption and to restore the rule of law. And in very short time we already have concrete progress to share.”
Von der Leyen, Magyar speak after Brussels meeting on reforms, EU funds
Let’s hop to Brussels for a second, as Hungary’s new prime minister, Péter Magyar, is now speaking alongside the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen after their talks on reforms and accessing the billions in frozen EU funds.
Let’s listen in. I will bring you all the lines here.
Russia has immediately reacted to Romania’s decision, saying it would “respond soon,” Tass news agency reported.
In the past, Russia opted for tit-for-tat moves in similar cases, so probably we can expect something similar aimed at Romania’s diplomatic presence in Russia.
Romania declares Russian consul general 'persona non grata' after drone incident
Romanian president Nicușor Dan has declared a Russian consul in the southeastern seaside city of Constanța “a persona non grata” – effectively telling him to leave the country – with the consulate expected to shut down.
The measure comes in response to a Russian drone incursion that damaged an apartment block in Galați, injuring two people.
Speaking after a meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defence, Dan said the drone was part of a “swarm” of 43 drones aimed at targets in Ukraine. He also criticised some Romanian politicians for trying to minimise Russia’s responsibility for the incident.
Dan said the united response of Romania’s Nato allies is a powerful show of solidarity, and announced the alliance would relocate some of its air defence equipment to Romania as an interim solution until Romania upgrades its domestic systems, also using funds from the EU’s Safe scheme.
“Some has already arrived, others are due to arrive, and in the discussion I had with the Nato secretary general, I insisted on speed and he was in absolute agreement that this equipment should reach Romania as quickly as possible.”
Intelligence shows Russia is 'preparing for new massive attack,' Zelenskyy says
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just warned that new intelligence shows that Russia is “preparing for a new massive attack,” without offering further details.
“It is important that all our partners know what is happening and that Russia continues to rely on missiles and further war, not diplomatic steps,” he said.
He called for “additional sanctions” to put more pressure on Ukraine, and further help to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence systems.
Russia's violation of Nato airspace 'extremely dangerous and reckless,' UK's foreign secretary says
UK’s foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said that “Russia’s violation of Nato airspace, hitting a residential building in Romania is extremely dangerous and reckless.”
She added:
“The UK strongly condemns this grave escalation that puts lives at risk. I am in contact with the Romanian foreign minister. The UK stands united with Romania and all Allies to defend every inch of Nato territory.”
Denmark's Frederiksen says drone incident was 'a direct consequence' of Russia's war on Ukraine
Back to Romania, Denmark’s acting prime minister Mette Frederiksen – now once again leading the complicated coalition talks in the country – also condemned the Russian drone incursion last night.
She said it was “a direct consequence of Russia’s illegal war of aggression,” and expressed “full solidarity with Romania.”
“EU and Nato must strengthen our security and deterrence and increase pressure on Russia,” she added.
Diplomatic tensions between Ukraine and Poland resurface after Zelenskyy's decision to name military unit after nationalist army
Elsewhere, diplomatic tensions between Kyiv and Warsaw have resurfaced once again following a decision by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to name an army unit after a wartime nationalist formation.
On Wednesday, Zelenskyy named a unit of the Ukrainian army “after the heroes of the UPA,” the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, which is seen in Ukraine as a symbol of resistance against Soviet forces, but Poles hold it responsible for killing tens of thousands of Poles between 1943 and 1945.
In 2013 the Polish parliament adopted a resolution defining the killings by UPA against Poles as “an ethic cleansing with signs of genocide”.
Poland’s president Karol Nawrocki – a right-wing historian who regularly criticised Ukraine’s wartime past and repeatedly signalled his doubts about Ukraine’s membership of the EU and Nato – told reporters today that he was “outraged” by Zelenskyy’s decision.
He called for the Ukrainian president to be stripped of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest civilian award bestowed on him in 2023.
Visibly angry Nawrocki told reporters:
“Unfortunately, president Zelensky has proven that Ukraine, in terms of the mental glorification of bandits and murderers from the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, is not ready to be part of the European family.”
A formal meeting that could strip Zelenskyy of the order will take place on 8 June.
Poland’s prime minister and Ukraine ally Donald Tusk told reporters that Ukraine’s decision was “concerning” as it “hurts our historical sensitivity.”
But he added on X:
“If we quarrel about the past, someone else will win the future. The President of Ukraine should finally understand this. The Polish president should too – before it’s too late.”
Poland’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór called Zelenskyy’s decision “unequivocally negative,” warnings it “hurts the dialogue between our nations” and “can be exploited by Russian propaganda, which seeks to divide us and undermine support for Ukraine as it defends itself.”
Poland has been one of Ukraine’s top ally since the full scale invasion of Russia, welcoming millions of Ukrainian refugees and hosting a key logistics base for deliveries to Ukraine in Rzeszów.
Meanwhile, the European Commission’s deputy chief spokesperson, Olof Gill, added to president von der Leyen’s condemnation of the incident earlier (9:30).
Speaking at the midday press briefing, he said:
“We consider this to be a most, most serious act, another act of unacceptable aggression by Russia. We stand in full solidarity with Romania and its people.”
Ukraine 'ready to support Romania in whatever way is necessary,' Zelenskyy says
Meahwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered Ukraine’s help to Romania “in whatever way is necessary” urging European partners to “step up pressure on Russia so that this war is not dragged out or expanded.”
He says the drone that hit an apartment block in Galați was part of a broader strike on Ukraine’s southern Odesa region, which borders Romania.
“We count on the European Union’s new sanctions measures against Russia to be truly strong and to make Russia feel that its strikes mean significant losses for Russia itself. That would be fair. Thank you to everyone helping protect life!”
Drone incident shows 'Russia's willingness to escalate,' Germany's Merz warns
German chancellor Friedrich Merz also joined in the criticism, saying:
“Russia’s reckless drone incursion into Romania shows once again Russia’s willingness to escalate. Germany stands with our Nato Allies. The incident once again underscores the need for strong Nato posture on the Eastern flank. We are ready to defend every inch of Allied territory.”
Germany's Wadephul condemns Russia's 'reckless' behaviour
Germany’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul also condemned “Russia’s reckless behaviour” after last night’s drone incident in Romania.
“Our response is unity. We stand with Romania . Our thoughts are with those injured in tonights drone crash. We will continue to strengthen & European defence in Nato.”
Slovakia's Fico calls for direct EU-Russia talks, warns against escalation after Romania drone incident
Meanwhile, back to the overnight drone strike in Romania, more and more leaders are now joining in their condemnation of what happened.
Slovakia’s prime minister Robert Fico has warned against any escalation “that we may not be able to manage.”
He expressed “full solidarity” with Romania, but called for “restraint in making inflammatory statements,” while calling for an immediate start of “dialogue” between the EU and Russia.
Hungary expects to sign political deal on reforms, frozen EU funds today, Magyar says
Oh, and just like that, Hungary’s Péter Magyar has just confirmed plans to conclude a political agreement on the release of frozen EU funds this afternoon.
He is due to meet the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, at 1pm Brussels time.
EU to discuss potential restrictions on Chinese imports amid fears of overreliance
EU commissioners will meet on Friday for crunch talks aimed at imposing new restrictions on imports from China amid growing concern that Beijing is fuelling conditions for US-style rust belt towns in Europe.
The surge in imports of everything from electric cars to key components in machines, medical devices and foodstuffs has been dubbed China Shock 2.0, potentially mirroring the experience in the US 25 years ago when Beijing joined the World Trade Organization.
Commissioners representing each member state have been asked to bring examples of Chinese activities in all 27 portfolios, spanning trade to agriculture, defence, health and digital initiatives to the talks.
Sources said no decisions would be taken on Friday but the talks would help “align” the commission’s thinking and address overproduction in China, which is leading imports into the EU to be sometimes up to 40% cheaper than local products.
It will also feed into the next leaders’ summit on 18 June when China will be one of the handful of items on the agenda.
Hungarian police see 'no grounds' to ban Budapest Pride after government change
In other news, Hungarian police have said they will not ban next month’s Budapest Pride parade, signalling a shift in policy under the new prime minister, Péter Magyar.
The move stands in stark contrast to last year’s attempt to block the event under the nationalist government of Viktor Orbán.
“During the notification process for the 2026 Pride parade and the subsequent in-person consultation with the organisers, no grounds for prohibiting the assembly arose,” police told AFP in a statement.
The decision marks a major shift from years of crackdown on LGBTQ rights, which Orbán argued was necessary to “protect children”. The key law, passed in 2021, was last month found by the EU’s top court to be discriminatory and “contrary to the identity of the union.”
In January, prosecutors in Hungary filed charges against the progressive mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, seeking to fine him for last year’s event, attended by up to 200,000 people, which went ahead despite a government ban.
While Magyar remained vague on the issue before last month’s election and is yet to reverse the Orbán-era laws, he has hinted at a more liberal approach.
After winning the parliamentary election last month, Magyar pointedly said he was committed to freedom of assembly. “Everyone can live with whoever they love as long as they do not violate laws and they are not harmful to others,” he said.
Last month’s poll by the European Council of Foreign Relations found that 71% of Tisza voters supported, or somewhat supported, the new government protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
Restoring civil rights is also seen as part of a broader rule-of-law reset with the European Union, following years of bitter clashes with Orbán, as Magyar seeks to unfreeze billions in EU funds earmarked for Hungary’s struggling economy.
He is expected to hold further talks with the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, later on Friday, and the two could strike a political deal on key reforms, needed to pave the way to restore EU funds to Hungary.
This year’s Budapest Pride parade is scheduled for 27 June.
Updated
Let’s quickly take a look at other news from around Europe before we get back to Romania for the latest.
Romania’s foreign minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu spoke with the EU’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas this morning, discussing the overnight incident and “its implications for the safety of citizens.”
“I received assurances of strong European solidarity in response to this irresponsible escalation by the Russian Federation. We will accelerate the adoption of the new package of sanctions against Russia,” she said.
Czechia's president Pavel calls for 'strong' response so Russia 'clearly understand' Nato 'will not tolerate such attacks'
Oh, and Czechia’s president Pavel has just made it clear that his views, as expressed in our interview last week, still stand as he called for “a strong international response” to the drone incident.
In a post on X, he said:
“The unprecedented night-time strike by a Russian drone on a residential building in Galați, Romania, which left two people injured, is completely unacceptable. However, we should not stop at simply condemning it together.
I therefore unequivocally support Romanian President Dan’s call for a strong international response.
Russia must clearly understand that we will not tolerate such attacks.”
Hungary's Magyar condemns drone incident as former PM Orbán says it reinforces need for Hungary's 'neutrality'
Meanwhile, Hungary’s new prime minister Péter Magyar “condemned in the strongest terms” the last night’s incident in Romania, expressing his country’s solidarity with the Romanian people.
“Yesterday’s Russian drone attack once again highlights that the unity of Europe and Nato is more important today than ever before,” he said.
But curiously, his predecessor, Viktor Orbán, also chose to speak publicly by putting more pressure on Hungary to “maintain the policy of neutrality” in response to the Russian aggression on Ukraine.
“This incident reinforces the fact that the war poses a direct threat to neighbouring countries,” he argued, urging the new administration in Budapest “to refrain from taking any steps towards the pro-war policy advocated by parts of Europe.”
Not a word of condemnation or criticism towards Russia from Orbán though.
The incident comes just days after the Czech president, Petr Pavel, has urged Nato to “show its teeth” in response to Russia’s repeated testing of the alliance’s resolve on its eastern flank, suggesting a range of options including switching off its internet, cutting off its banks from global financial systems and shooting down jets that violate allied airspace.
Speaking to the Guardian in Prague last week, Pavel called for “decisive enough, potentially even asymmetric” responses to counter Moscow’s provocative behaviour against the alliance or risk the Kremlin intensifying its actions.
A retired general and former chair of the Nato military committee, the 64-year-old’s defence background is rare among European leaders. His years of experience talking to Moscow on the suspended Nato-Russia council have made him an influential voice on the future of the alliance and the threats it faces.
Pavel said Russian military leaders laughed at times at the alliance’s decision-making paralysis.
“When I asked them why do they do these provocative actions in the air, close encounters or overflights over battleships in the Black Sea or the Baltic Sea, their answer was ‘because we can’. That’s exactly the kind of behaviour we allowed,” he said.
'Most serious security incident' in Romania since start of Ukraine war, president Dan says
Romania’s Dan also offered his readout from the call with Nato’s Rutte.
He said it was “the most serious security incident to occur on Romanian territory since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
“Full responsibility lies with the Russian Federation, whose behavior demonstrates total disregard for international law and for the safety of the citizens of a Nato member state.”
Dan stressed the need to work with Nato on strengthening the defence of the alliance’s eastern flank.
“Romania is a strong ally and will not accept Russia’s aggression against Ukraine threatening the security of Romanian citizens.”
US ambassador to Nato condemns drone incident in Romania
US ambassador to Nato, Matthew Whitaker, responded to the incident on X, saying:
“We stand with our Nato Ally Romania and condemn this reckless incursion on its territory. Our thoughts are with the injured in Galati. We will defend every inch of Nato territory.”
Speaking to the Romanian news portal Adevarul, retired general Dan Grecu suggested that the drone may have been electronically jammed during a Russian attack on Ukraine.
He argued that the drone may have been disrupted by Ukraine as a defensive measure, with no intention to send it towards Romania either, but just to disorientate the machine’s location systems – making its incursion into Romania accidental.
Grecu added that it was fortunate the drone did not strike the lower floors of the apartment block, noting that such a collision could have had far more serious consequences.
First daylight pictures from the scene
We are now getting more pictures showing the extent of damage caused by the drone.
Russian drone spent four minutes in Romanian airspace, shooting it down was deemed to risky, minister says
Meanwhile, Romania’s defence minister Radu Miruță offered a bit more detail on the incident.
In a post on Facebook, he said the Russian drone – confirmed as of Geran 2 type – was in Romanian airspace for four minutes, and was immediately spotted on a newly installed air defence radar in the area.
However, despite the military’s readiness to shoot it down, the move was deemed too risky, he said.
“We are in constant contact and are already working on additional measures to strengthen security on the eastern flank. Some of these measures will be announced in the coming hours,” he said.
Romania’s chief of defence staff, Gen Gheorghiță Vlad, spoke with Nato commanders this morning, discussing the last night’s drone incident in Galați.
In comments reported by Antena3, he said it further underlined the need to ramp up the surveillance and the reaction forces on the eastern flank of Nato.
But he stressed that Romania was not the intended target of the attack, but it showed the risks posed by the continuing Russian aggression on Ukraine, Antena3 reported.
'Russia’s reckless behaviour is a danger to us all,' Nato's Rutte says after call with Romanian president
Nato’s Mark Rutte said he just spoke with Romania’s president Dan about the overnight incident, assuring him of Nato’s “absolute solidarity.”
“I affirmed that Nato stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory. We will continue to enhance our readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones,” he said.
He added:
“Russia’s reckless behaviour is a danger to us all. They continue to target civilians and civilian infrastructure across Ukraine. And last night showed yet again that the implications of their illegal war of aggression don’t stop at the border.”
He continued:
“Russia’s war needs to end, as does Russia’s disregard for civilian safety. For our part, we will continue to strengthen our deterrence and defence at home and continue our support for Ukraine as they defend against Russia’s aggression.”
We are getting more reactions to the incident in Romania from around Europe.
EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said:
“The Russian drone crash into apartments in Galați was a blatant and serious violation of Romania’s sovereignty and European airspace. I spoke with Foreign Minister @oana_toiu this morning to convey the EU’s full solidarity with Romania.
Russia has long ago stopped respecting borders. Moscow cannot be allowed to breach European airspace with impunity.
EU Foreign Ministers yesterday vowed to ramp up pressure on Russia, increase support for Ukraine, and invest in Europe’s own defence readiness.”
Lithuania’s president Gitanas Nausėda strongly condemned “the heinous Russian drone attack,” calling it “a blatant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Romania.”
Latvia’s president Edgars Rinkēvičs also expressed “full solidarity” with Romania.”
Austrian chancellor Christian Stocker said it was “utterly reprehensible” and “another dangerous escalation” from Russia.
Morning opening: Russian drone hits apartment block, injures two in Nato member Romania
A Russian drone launched against Ukraine crashed into an apartment building in Galati in eastern Romania, a Nato country, leaving two people injured.
Romania’s president Nicușor Dan has called a meeting of the national security council for this morning to discuss the response, saying he will “order proportionate measures.” Separately, Romania summoned the Russian ambassador.
Furious Dan said on social media:
“What happened today in Galați is the direct consequence of Russia’s war of aggression unleashed against Ukraine, the irresponsible and indiscriminate manner in which Moscow operates these weapon systems in the immediate vicinity of Nato borders, as well as the systematic disregard for international law. There is no ambiguity regarding the perpetrator or the cause of this aggression.”
He added:
“Romania is a Nato member state and will not accept, in any way, the war of aggression waged by Russia against Ukraine to be transferred on to its citizens.”
The incident also drew immediate and widespread condemnation from top EU leaders, including the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen.
“Russia’s war of aggression has crossed yet another line. A Russian drone incursion struck a densely populated area in Romania, injuring civilians. On EU territory.”
She added that the EU “will keep increasing the pressure on Russia,” and is “preparing a 21st package of sanctions.”
The overnight attack will no doubt dominate the headlines today.
But in other news, we will also follow the new Hungarian prime minister Péter Magyar’s visit to Brussels for crunch talks with the European Commission, and the latest on the May heatwave affecting large parts of Europe.
It’s Friday, 29 May 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
