Brussels Playbook Podcast: "Four years of war — and Hungary breaks EU unity"

Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Ian Wishart (standing in for Zoya Sheftalovich)
Featured Guests: Katherine Carlson (POLITICO Senior Finance Reporter), Zoya Sheftalovich (POLITICO Chief EU Correspondent – from Kyiv)
Runtime: ~15 minutes

Overview

This episode explores growing EU frustration as Hungary blocks both the EU’s latest Russian sanctions package and a crucial €90 billion loan to Ukraine—just as European leaders mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a high-profile visit to Kyiv. The conversation covers how this single-country veto exposes deep fissures in EU unity at a pivotal moment, as well as legal and political tensions around funding Ukraine. The episode also lightens up with a look at the chronic disrepair plaguing EU buildings in Brussels.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hungary’s Blockade: EU Unity Frays Again

• Hungary’s Actions (00:35–05:04)

  • Hungary blocked the EU’s 20th package of Russian sanctions and is threatening to block the €90B Ukraine loan previously agreed upon.
  • Ian Wishart sets the somber tone:

    "Sad day for Ukraine as it marks the fourth anniversary of the full scale invasion... a difficult day for the EU again as it saw a breakdown once more in consensus." (01:35)

  • Consensus in the EU requires all 27 member states; Hungary’s resistance exposes structural vulnerabilities.

• The Path Forward: Legal and Political Snarls

  • Catherine Carlson questions if there’s a realistic solution:

    "It could be as simple as von der Leyen and Costa being able to get on the phone to Orban today and making some kind of progress. Or it could be something that's dragged out for months and requires a whole new rethink." (02:07)

  • Reviving the idea of using frozen Russian assets is now on the table again, despite having been shelved in December due to Belgian and ECB legal concerns.

• Frozen Russian Assets – Back to Square One? (02:38–03:28)

  • The original plan to finance Ukraine with Russian frozen assets foundered on legal and practical grounds, especially since most assets are located in Belgium and the European Central Bank objected.
  • Carlson:

    "It is questionable whether this could ever be revived. But... it's not clear the path forward." (03:28)

  • Estonia’s PM and EU chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, raised this option again, reflecting growing desperation.

• Symbolic vs. Substantive Support

  • The original plan for EU leaders in Kyiv was to show up with concrete support; Hungary’s obstruction undercuts both symbolism and substance.
  • Carlson notes Orban’s move has "completely deflated" what was meant to be a set-piece moment (04:25).

Notable Quote:

"It was supposed to be this big set piece moment that Orban has completely deflated... Time is really ticking."
— Katherine Carlson (04:25)

2. The Blame Game, Hungarian Domestic Politics & Pipeline Diplomacy

• Pipeline Dispute as a Pretext? (05:04–06:11)
  • Orban points fingers at Ukraine for not repairing the Druzhba oil pipeline, damaged in the war. Kaja Kallas pushes back:

    "Obviously, who's at fault is Russia. They bombed the pipeline in the first place... Ukraine's priority isn't fixing a pipeline for cheap Russian oil to flow to the EU." (Paraphrased, 05:04–06:11)

  • Orban’s confrontational stance seen as possibly tied to domestic politics—Hungarian elections loom in April.

Notable Quote:

"How is this possibly a vote winner, to be turning against your neighbor Ukrainians and people that are in need?"
— Katherine Carlson on Kallas' skepticism of Orban’s electoral calculus (06:11)

3. Special Report: On the Train to Kyiv with Zoya Sheftalovich

Segment: 06:11–10:45

• Scene Setting: Przemysl Station to Kyiv

  • Zoya travels overnight with EU Commission and Council presidents. The once-crowded Polish station is now "quiet... the train itself is full of EU folks... but otherwise the station is quite empty." (06:58)
  • Atmosphere is somber, with palpable disappointment after Hungary’s veto derailed what was meant to be a major EU show of support.

• Inside the EU Delegation

  • Zoya:

    "The mood was really grim. Things were subdued. I think the intention had been to show up to Kyiv with quite a victorious kind of package... but on the plane there was this sense ... that things have sort of fallen apart." (07:32)

  • Ian confirms: Antonia Costa wrote a stern letter to Orban, calling out his "brinksmanship." Orban shot back, claiming his veto is justified by "new circumstances." (08:16–08:36)

• Travel Reflections

  • Zoya shares personal reflections—this is her first trip back to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion.

    "I haven't been back since the full scale invasion and I've got to say I'm feeling really emotional about it." (09:44) "The fact that [Ukraine] perseveres four years later is an astonishing feat." (10:17)

4. EU Buildings: Chronic Disrepair (11:00–13:56)

• Examples of Failing Infrastructure
  • Recent staff memo at the Madu Plaza tower (home to DG COMP) admits that "working conditions were, quote, less than optimal," with faulty heat, water, and sanitation (11:45).
  • Madu Tower is "just down the road from Politico's office... a whopping 33 floors... the fifth highest tower in Belgium." (12:32–12:56)
  • The European Parliament’s SPAC building faces a half-billion euro renovation; previous ceiling collapses in both Brussels and Strasbourg recounted.
  • In summer, the air conditioning broke, leaving EU lawmakers sweating it out.

Memorable Moments:

• Carlson on Belgian modesty:

  "Saint Jos isn't even the Dubai of Belgium." (12:56)

• Wishart on past disasters:

  "Oh, I remember writing about that [ceiling collapse]." (13:11)

5. Headlines and Closing Notes (10:45–11:00, brief headlines break)

• Legal action is being considered by multiple EU countries regarding the powers of the European Parliament.
• The EU-US deal on trade is "now on hold until further notice" (Bern Langer, 11:00).

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On EU Unity:

  "Suddenly that message is a lot more fragile."
  — Ian Wishart (04:01)

• On EU process and Hungary:

  "Orban likes to throw his weight around... and in the end, Orban will back down. But this just makes it very difficult when the EU operates, needing 27 countries to agree."
  — Ian Wishart (04:45)

• On Emotional Impact:

  "[Ukraine's] perseverance four years later is an astonishing feat."
  — Zoya Sheftalovich (10:17)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Hungary blocks sanctions & Ukraine loan: 00:35–05:04
• Debate on reviving Russian asset plan: 02:38–03:28
• Zoya Sheftalovich reporting from the Kyiv train: 06:11–10:45
• EU buildings and infrastructure woes: 11:00–13:56

Tone and Language

The conversation is clear, direct, and occasionally sardonic, especially when discussing internal EU dysfunction and Brussels’ quirks. Reporters remain factual but don’t shy from expressing weariness or frustration—well-matched to the day’s sense of deflation across Brussels.

Summary Conclusion

In a week meant to display EU resolve and solidarity with Ukraine, Hungary’s obstruction has instead underscored the fragility of European unity, especially on big-ticket issues like major aid packages and sanctions. With legal, political, and infrastructural headaches alike, Brussels faces tough questions about its ability to act decisively—just when the stakes for Ukraine are at their highest.