Tusk: Orban's been convinced, Obajtek's been dismissed

The European Union is suffering from "Orban-fatigue", Poland's prime minister said on Thursday before EU leaders unanimously agreed to extend 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in new aid to Ukraine, overcoming weeks of resistance from Hungary.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was up to his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban to decide "if Hungary is a part of our community, or not".

The agreement comes after weeks of wrangling with Orban who vetoed the aid package last December.

Tusk was among the EU leaders who piled pressure on Hungary to lift its block, telling Orban he had to pick sides in the existential challenge posed by Russia's war.

"A good Thursday. Viktor Orban has been 'convinced', Daniel Obajtek has been dismissed," Tusk said on X.

European Union leaders unanimously agreed on Thursday to extend 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in new aid to Ukraine, the chairman of the summit said, overcoming weeks of resistance from Hungary and winning praise from Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed the agreement, saying the aid would strengthen long-term economic and financial stability of his country as the war approaches its third year.

"We have a deal. Unity," said European Council President Charles Michel in a post on X. "All 27 leaders agreed on an additional 50-billion-euro support package for Ukraine within the EU budget."

Poland's oil giant Orlen announced on Thursday that Daniel Obajtek was dismissed as the company's CEO. The decision came after Obajtek had put himself at the board's disposal.

Obajtek, cytowany w komunikacie prasowym koncernu, zaznaczył, że "dalszy rozwój Orlenu, jego dobre imię oraz bezpieczeństwo energetyczne Polski" zawsze było dla niego priorytetem.

"Further growth of Orlen, its good name, and Poland's energy security have always been a priority to me," Obajtek was quoted as saying in a statement released by Orlen.

His last day in office will be 5 February.

The dismissal comes amid an investigation into the 2022 merger of Orlen with the Lotos Group. The company sold some Lotos assets to buyers including Saudi Aramco and Hungary's MOL to meet EU antitrust rulings, but opposition politicians at the time said they were sold too cheaply.

Donald Tusk told reporters in Brussels that Obajtek's era in Orlen "has nothing to do with true economic success". "It's not hard to build a pseudo-powerhouse with political decisions and state support".