Mastodawn

Stefan Alvemo 🇪🇺

Bypassing Hungary to fund Ukraine proves one thing: the veto is a security threat. We cannot build European autonomy with Trojan horses inside our walls. It’s time to create legal mechanisms to expel states acting as foreign agents. Enough is enough.

Boost if you agree: Remove internal saboteurs.

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-vows-ukraine-e90b-loan-bypass-hungary-block/

#EU #Hungary #Ukraine #Geopolitics #Security #EuropeanUnion #Europe #EUpol

We’ll find a way to get round Hungary and deliver Ukraine’s €90B loan, EU vows

EU chiefs assure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy they have the tools to unblock the funds.

POLITICO

Sune Auken Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo Hard agree.

Jean-François Mezei Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo Hungary has an election this year. If they choose a normal leader, it could return Hungary to a normal EU state instead of a USSR admirer using its membership to sabotage EU.

Stefan Alvemo 🇪🇺Feb 24

@jfmezei To be clear: this isn't about punishing the Hungarian people, but forcing a choice. They need to understand that their upcoming election is effectively a referendum on the EU. You cannot reap the benefits of the union while sabotaging its security from within. Either you're in, or you're out.

Jean-François Mezei Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo I agree. This is similar to USA where people voted for a lying entertainer because he promised a good show while the other candidate was boring. Hopefully Hungarians not only realise their mistake, but more importantly have a palatable other candidate to vote for.

We have seen UK voluntarily leave EU, but not sure there is a mechanism to expell a member. In the end, they need EU2 (coalition of the willing) that is without Hungary. Just as NATO2 without USA.

Dr. Sobek Feb 24

@jfmezei @StefanAlvemo There is a mechanism to suspend a member , the problem is that you need everyone else to agree, and there are currently two countries sabotaging.

(Used to be PL - HU, now it is Slovakia and HU iirc)

@jfmezei @StefanAlvemo Just to note that us (the UK) leaving the EU was voluntary in a collective sense - a majority did vote for it - but for a great number of us as individuals, the loss was not voluntary and quite painful. I'm sure that's understood, but I felt it is important to make sure the nuance is not lost.

I do hope that orban gets decisively rejected in the election. If not, the country ought to be sanctioned in some way, although there's a danger that pushing them out would move the country more explicitly closer to the "axis powers."

Jean-François Mezei Feb 25

@GerardThornley @StefanAlvemo The EU is funding extention of standard gauge rail into Ukraine. They prioritized the Uzhhorod-Chop segment (across river from Zahony Hungary) to make Hungary feel more important within the EU.

https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/new-eu-funded-railway-line-brings-ukraine-even-closer-eu-2025-09-05_en

(Next is the more important link to connect Lviv to Poland) expected by 2027.)

I think Europe has played it to make it easier to re-integrate Hungary as soon as its people throw out Orban).

New EU-funded railway line brings Ukraine even closer to EU

Ukraine opened its first railway line based on the European Union standard for track width, marking a significant step in deepening the country’s transport integration with the EU.

Mobility and Transport

@jfmezei @StefanAlvemo Aye. For the most part, I think European politics is quite smart, and that seems a sensible approach.

Ilka 🌐Feb 25

@jfmezei @StefanAlvemo Hungarian ppl oppose Orban, but they are supressed & IMO he is not afraid to manipulate elections. There is currently no possibility to legally expell EU members. Sanctions/penalties/exclusion from votes are possible but decisions have to be unanimous. This is exactly where reform is needed, unanimous is a kill switch.

Ilka 🌐Feb 25

@jfmezei @StefanAlvemo I am worried though Orban is supported by RUS, USA & IT figures like Musk, Besos, Zuckerberg to manipulate the election. It just now comes to light the last USA election has been manipulated to Felon 47s favour.

@StefanAlvemo love to see the colours Ursula is wearing
Total support

blobcat_hearthug

Ilka 🌐Feb 25

@kcpoole @StefanAlvemo they are UKR & EU colors, so quite a statement. 👍

Monica.Sjöblom Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo
Just det!

The Tiller 🌈Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo
Look at a map of Europe. If you expel Hungary, and perhaps Slovakia too, then you have a wedge of Russia allies that goes from the EU's eastern border right to the gates of Central Europe. It would be extremely dangerous to ever let that happen. A major strategic win for Putin.

Veza85UE Feb 24

@swoonie @StefanAlvemo Didn't we just finish financing a rail link to Ukraine via Hungary? Punching a hole in the EU map right on Ukraine's border seems a bit shortsighted given the timelines involved in even the most rushed EU Treaty change process. By the time we'd have a mechanism in place, Orbán's cholesterol will have long put him out of commission.

That said, I don't mind this being THE casus belli for treaty change, it just wouldn't even make it into my top 10 priorities for #EUreform

Ilka 🌐Feb 25

@swoonie @StefanAlvemo agreed. There are better ways: sanction, cut off financial aid (Hungary is draining quite some money while kicking EU in the nuts), exclude from votes.BUT currently all this had to be decided unanimously, this needs to change.

Jan Antoš Feb 28

@Ilka4You @swoonie @StefanAlvemo this unanimous voting as safeguard that eg Germany and France or other countries does not vote against interests of smaller countries. It is dual blade sword. This will be hard to solve. It is one of fundamental stones of EU and the biggest weakness. If removed, there will be needed another safeguard, such as 4/5 majority vote or so, and not counted by country population.

Ilka 🌐Feb 28

@janantos I understand the idea, and it made tiny bit more sense in the small beginnings. With 27 countries though realistically it means stagnation. When did you last time see >5 ppl in the same room agree on something?😜Me: never. I quote Macron: "Having a place like Europe which sometimes is too slow for sure and needs to be reformed for sure" @swoonie @StefanAlvemo

Jan Antoš Feb 28

@Ilka4You I am not opposing the reform for sure, but we need ti be sure, we do not give too much power to France + Germany to make decisions by themselves, as we know they tends to act only in their benefits. I am not politician, but I believe we shall protect smaller countries from them also. So some high qualified majority by country votes (not by population) shall be the solution. In general I believe lot of these decusions shall be done by EU parliament, but that time we will need to reform EU into something like federation which will be also hardly objected. Hard times are in front of us. And I am not saying this as Czech national (I don’t personify myself with current Czech gov at all) but in last decade and few years I am expat recognising myself more like European than Czech and experienced BREXIT in Gibraltar now living in Estonia and I can say Germany and France politicians not all the times taking into account other countries.

Ilka 🌐Feb 28

@janantos I partly agree, we need a more democratic solution. I disagree reg. country size, representing more ppl should give more say. Error in this is, not the ppl send the polititians to the commission, polititians do & they always operate in their personal interest (von der Leyen). FRA & GER currently are the best decision makers economically, although in the past they both have caused BS. FRA imo is the best in protecting EU interest & safety/security reg. USA. GER sells us out to USA.

Jan Antoš Feb 28

@Ilka4You the population limit is valid. So one nation cannot overbite the others. We have seen these when there has been discussions about agriculture policy for example. This is fundamental stone of equality in EU, when there will be in commission votes by population size this nation equality will be broken.

Mark de Vries 🇪🇺Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo Maybe it is time to get rid of the whole veto thing, both in the EU and in the UN.

Stefan Alvemo 🇪🇺Feb 24

@markdevries Completely agree... in favour of Qualified Majority.

McHollander | Celtic Folk Bard Feb 25

@markdevries @StefanAlvemo I'm betting someone will veto that

Rob van Kan🔻Feb 25

@markdevries @StefanAlvemo I am sure that the very existence of vetos blocks their removal

samiamsam Feb 24

boot hungary

add Ukraine immediately

Joan of Contention 😷Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo I agree (I think) in principle; but it's the how that troubles me: there isn't really an effective mechanism under the Treaties that will allow this, afaik.

Or has that changed? 🤞🏼

millennial fulcrum Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo one time was too many. the enemy states should be forced into submission.

Martin Schröder 🇺🇳Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo
Nope. We should work around them.
@trending_bot

#EU #Hungary #Ukraine #Geopolitics #Security #EuropeanUnion #Europe #EUpol

@oneiros I'm with Mark on this Expelling them gives Russia even more foothold. A large part of the population of Hungary (and Slovakia) want to be in the EU. What we need to get rid of is the power to Veto.

Robin Barton Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo How about we trade Hungary for all of Ukraine which would include Crimea of course

Arena Cops 🇺🇦✌Feb 24

@StefanAlvemo Putin's sitting at the EU table.
On Orban's shoulders.

@StefanAlvemo I also think EU should be giving, not lending, money to #Ukraine. Ukraine resisting Russia is the only thing stopping Russia rolling over at least half of Europe. A direct war with Russia would cost EU a lot more than 90 billion Euros.

kit 🌬️🌦️Feb 25

@StefanAlvemo @mariyadelano I feel like we saw all this play out with the Sejm in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth before.

Veza85UE Feb 25

@wlonk @StefanAlvemo @mariyadelano Someone wrote a whole book about why it was a shit idea 240 years ago, it's not like we lack hindsight.

Nicole Parsons Feb 25

The fossil fuel industry is proposing dismantling the EU for daring a fossil fuel phase out.
https://www.desmog.com/2025/03/14/heritage-foundation-project-2025-allies-mcc-ordo-iuris-discuss-dismantling-the-eu-european-union/

The EU gains autonomy, agency, & sovereignty by switching to renewable energy.
https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/politics/right-wing-push-to-dismantle-the-eu-heritage-foundations-private-workshop/

Instead of billions going to oil oligarchs & petrostate despots, that money stays home & builds an improved EU with Ukraine as a member.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/21/revealed-oil-sectors-staggering-profits-last-50-years

Fossil fuel phase out defunds Putin's wars.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/eu-propose-permanent-ban-russian-oil-after-hungary-election-document-shows-2026-02-24/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/24/ukraine-war-briefing-russia-exporting-more-oil-now-than-before-war-despite-sanctions-report

Heritage Foundation and Allies Discuss Dismantling the EU

The group that drafted a key blueprint for Donald Trump’s second term convened a meeting in Washington D.C. this week to consider proposals for bulldozing the European Union (EU). The Polish investigative outlet VSquare revealed that the Heritage Foundation gathered hardline conservative groups on 11 March to hear how they would overhaul the current structures […]

DeSmog

Kevin Russell Feb 25

@Npars01 @StefanAlvemo

Dismantle oil companies. Break them up.

Dark.Mouser Feb 25

@StefanAlvemo Unión de Egos europeos.
Este teatro no da para tanto actor que en vez de ensayar va por libre e improvisa. No, no hay democracia en la UE. Quienes dirigen el parlamento de la unión, son los primeros en ser elegidos a dedo y son los mismos a lo largo del tiempo, ocupando diferentes puestos.
El veto, es anacrónico, una herramienta de poder de mitad del siglo XX.
Quien no quiera construir, solo imponer a la fuerza, que se le indique cual el camino de salida y decida si lo toma o no.

Mark Ohe Feb 25

KICK them OUT

@StefanAlvemo I partially agree with the original post, however EU must stop acting herself as a foreign agent against her very interrests....

Daniel Gomes Feb 25

@StefanAlvemo Sadly most western EU leaders serve a foreign power. It seems Hungary is one of the few who don’t. We need more leaders like Hungary and less traitors like Ursula & co.

Ken M Sweeney Feb 25

@dfgomes @StefanAlvemo utter rubbish.

Dr. Simonas Kareiva LY2EN Feb 25

@StefanAlvemo this is not about boosting but about contacting your MEP representative

Veza85UE Feb 25

@ly2en @StefanAlvemo Why your MEP? What can your MEP do about it?

@StefanAlvemo and where would Hungary [and Estonoa] go if they were ejected? Feel the 100% agreement in votes needs amending so one or more coumtries camnot endlessly veto

Assimilateborg Feb 25

@StefanAlvemo funky idea: if hungary agrees, it's a loan, if hungary does not agree, it's a donation.

Stoneface Vimes Feb 25

@StefanAlvemo I boosted but with the caveat that many in Hungary will be opposed to the orban regime - as with other states under an autocratic rule.

Petr Skála Feb 25

@StefanAlvemo 👍 👍 👍

Don't worry, soon Hungary won't be a problem anymore:

Orban’s Poll Support Crumbles as Hungary Opposition Widens Lead
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-25/orban-s-poll-support-crumbles-as-hungary-opposition-widens-lead

Jiri Rybar Feb 25

@StefanAlvemo @piratzbrna Be careful what you wish for. There might come a time when the majority isn’t right or behaves against a particular national interest.

Even in this case, a country is entitled to disagree. If anyone going against a majority automatically equals they are a trojan horse, it’s becoming a slippery slope. Democracy can’t become a tyranny of the majority.

Pavel Moravec Feb 25

@jirirbr @StefanAlvemo Generally, you are right. In this particular example with Hungary and Slovakia, nope. They *ARE* Troyan horses of our fascist enemy.

Jiri Rybar Feb 25

@piratzbrna @StefanAlvemo That’s why I’m saying we need to be careful. Just because this case seems to be quite clear, it doesn’t mean other cases where a minority is blocking some decision will be as clear as this one.

Veza85UE Feb 25

@jirirbr @StefanAlvemo @piratzbrna "behaves against a particular national interest" Oh no, not the particular national interest...
It's against the particular interest of my lungs and of the health of thousands of Europeans killed every year by coal pollution emanating from Germany and Poland to continue to burn coal. Poland and Hungary decided that vetoing legislation against it was their supreme national interest and my lungs were a sacrifice they were willing to make. Fuck national interest.

Jiri Rybar Feb 25

@Veza85UE @StefanAlvemo @piratzbrna When we vote for a governments in our countries, they should be empowered to do the things they promised to do. Not be overruled by people from other countries voting for different governments. That's why there are areas in which countries can veto legislation and/or decisions.

Some countries don't want mass immigration from African countries, some countries don't want chat control, some don't prefer a more socialist state, some prefer a more free state and self-responsibility for their citizens. The citizens should decide, and the government voted in should have the powers to fulfill those wishes.

Veza85UE Feb 25

@jirirbr @StefanAlvemo @piratzbrna If you fell for the lies your government pumps out when campaigning in national elections and promising to do things it cannot or should not do as part of a legal order your country freely signed up to in exchange for the benefits of the Single Market enabled by that legal order, that's on you. The Hungarian government in particular is in full breach of 🇪🇺 Treaties under which member states commit to operate in "sincere cooperation"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sincere_cooperation

Sincere cooperation - Wikipedia

Veza85UE Feb 25

@jirirbr @StefanAlvemo @piratzbrna The Hungarian government wants my tax money while breaking the law under which that money flows to net receiver countries. Therefore, I don't have to give a single shit about what Viktor Orban promises barely sentient serfs in his oblast. If they don't like it, there's an Art. 50 letter they can write and go be fully sovereign outside of the EU.

martin lentink 🇪🇺 🇺🇦📎Feb 25

@jirirbr @Veza85UE @StefanAlvemo @piratzbrna Sorry, but that's BS. The Hungarian opposition had no such veto, so why should the majority in the Union bow to a veto of a government that does not allow the same from its own opposition? Also, I seem to remember that nobody forced Hungary to become a member state, and Orbán is all to happy to take in the billions.
#HungaryOutUkraineIn

Veza85UE Feb 25

@martinlentink @jirirbr @StefanAlvemo @piratzbrna Apparently this doesn't apply to me (I voted for Sánchez, who promised to support Ukraine) or you (likely voted for a similar government):

"When we vote for a governments in our countries, they should be empowered to do the things they promised to do. Not be overruled by people from other countries voting for different governments."

So WE can be overruled by some racist chud from Tatabánya even tho 🇭🇺 wouldn't participate or spend on the loan?

Veza85UE Feb 28

@martinlentink @jirirbr @StefanAlvemo @piratzbrna lol, LMAO

https://mastodon.social/@KraftTea/116140837940928359