Poland began its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, a role that rotates among member states. This marks the second time Poland has taken on this significant responsibility since joining the EU.

Poland launched its presidency of the Council of the European Union on Friday mired in a diplomatic row with Hungary that underscored a deepening sense of political disunity across Europe just as it confronts a raft of major global challenges.

The Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline was built in the Soviet era to carry Siberian gas to European markets. It became the main conduit to Ukraine’s border with Slovakia from Siberia, passing through the town of Sudzha — which is now under the control of Ukrainian military forces — in Russia’s Kursk region.

Poland decided not to invite Hungary's ambassador to an event on Friday launching Warsaw's EU presidency after Budapest gave asylum to a former deputy minister who is under investigation over alleged misuse of public funds,