V4 Budget Push: Visegrád Four leaders met in Bratislava to coordinate a tougher line for the EU’s next seven-year budget, cohesion and farm funding, energy prices, enlargement and migration—while the summit also exposed fresh friction over Hungary’s €1m-a-day border fine and “double standards” claims tied to Spain’s Ceuta support. Hungary-Ukraine Accession Link: Péter Magyar said Ukraine must implement concrete rights for Transcarpathia’s Hungarian community before more EU accession clusters open, arguing progress is missing on the first and sixth chapters. Hungary-Russia Crackdown: Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats for “unacceptable” activities, signaling a sharper break from the pro-Russia posture associated with Viktor Orbán. Poland Toughens Rail-Crossing Rules: Poland plans mandatory, non-discretionary three-month driving license suspensions for passing red signals at level crossings after a fatal crash and rising incidents. Energy & Industry: Masdar signed deals to expand offshore wind and battery storage investment in Germany; Scanfil is enlarging its Polish Mysłowice electronics system-integration plant by 20% for 2028 operations. Digital Sovereignty: SAFENet doubled in size as more firms join a push to reduce Europe’s reliance on foreign-controlled cloud, networking and AI. Climate & Alps: Prague hosts Central Europe’s first Climate Week, while record heat is pushing Alpine summer skiing toward a possible end to lift-access seasons.