The presidency of the Council of the European Union rotates every six months, with Hungary leading from July to the end of the year before being succeeded by Poland. Hungary's presidency began controversially with a campaign echoing Trump's slogan and was marked by Prime Minister Orbán's criticized meetings with Putin and Xi Jinping. These actions drew widespread condemnation from the EU, leading to a distancing of other member states from Hungary. Orbán's criticisms of the EU and his stance on the Ukraine conflict further strained relations, while the EU withheld financial support over rule-of-law concerns. The incoming Polish presidency is hoped to restore unity within the bloc. Teljes cikk (Euronews.com)