Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music EU leaders gather in Brussels for a high-stakes summit — with Viktor Orbán once again at the center of the debate over funding Ukraine. As tensions rise, the big question is whether the Hungarian prime minister will hold the line or shift under pressure from fellow leaders. At the same time, divisions are emerging over how Europe should respond to the war in Iran — from ways to tackle rising energy prices to how far to go in coordinating with Washington. Meanwhile, in the European Parliament, lawmakers will vote on a key part of the EU-U.S. trade deal, deciding whether to move ahead with lowering tariffs on American industrial goods — even as doubts remain about U.S. reliability. And finally, a very Belgian problem — too many fries. Zoya Sheftalovich is joined by Sarah Wheaton to break down the politics — from summit dynamics to transatlantic trade. Send any questions or comments to us on our WhatsApp: +32 491 05 06 29.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European leaders gather in Kyiv to signal unity and solidarity. But back in Brussels, Hungary blocks a new sanctions package against the Kremlin and a €90 billion loan to Ukraine. Host Ian Wishart is joined by senior finance reporter Kathryn Carlson. We also hear from Zoya Sheftalovich on the train to Kyiv with Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa, as she describes the mood around the trip — and how Hungary’s veto cast a shadow over the anniversary. Plus: Aging EU buildings are showing their wear — from water problems at DG COMP to the European Parliament’s costly renovation plans. If you work in a crumbling EU building — or have your own Brussels infrastructure horror story — send us a message or a voice note on WhatsApp: +32 491 05 06 29. **A message from Amazon: Across Europe, businesses are growing with the AWS Cloud to build innovative, scalable products. From Europe’s largest enterprises and government agencies to the continent’s fastest growing startups, learn more about how AWS Cloud is helping businesses across Europe grow at AWS.eu.**

PARIS — French lawmakers are moving ahead with plans to double a tax on big tech firms — backing away from a more aggressive push amid fears of provoking U.S. trade retaliation. France’s National Assembly voted Tuesday night in favor of hiking a digital service tax on tech companies including Google, Apple, Meta and Amazon to 6 percent, up from 3 percent. The French government is against the move, with Economy Minister Roland Lescure warning that a “disproportionate” tax would lead to “disproportionate” retaliatory measures. Lawmakers had initially pushed to hike the levy to 15 percent to hit back at U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff war, sparking strong reactions from across the Atlantic. Industries in France that fear trade retaliation have also called for caution. The amendment has yet to survive a final vote on the country’s 2026 budget law next week, after which it must pass the French Senate. As well as increasing the tax, the measure would raise the global revenue threshold from €750 million to €2 billion — a bid to shield smaller national players from the scope of the proposal. “The new proposal appears to exclusively target U.S. companies, which will likely spur retaliation impacting the broader French economy,” John Murphy, the senior vice president and head of international at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said last week. “Cooler heads must prevail.” “The objective of this tax was not to harm the United States in any way … I say this to the Americans who are listening to us, at least at the embassy,” lawmaker Charles Sitzenstuhl from Emmanuel Macron’s party said Tuesday.