EU leaders urge de-escalation after Zelensky and Orban exchange threats

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban exchanged sharp words. Zelensky reportedly warned Orban against blocking a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine and wished him electoral defeat, while Orban told Zelensky to stop the threats and said Hungary would block every EU decision on Ukraine.

The European Commission called the rhetoric 'unacceptable' and urged both sides to dial it down. Separately, some EU officials are pushing for new rules to let Ukraine join the bloc faster, while other member states are pushing back on that idea.