Will money be enough to convince Victor Orban?

This week is crucial in Brussels. Starting on December 11th, European Union Foreign Ministers (BE) will meet to negotiate support for Ukraine and for a possible deal to impose more sanctions on Russia.

The next day, the European bloc's ministers gather to achieve compliance with a historic decision regarding EU enlargement. The odds are that none of these will be resolved before the annual meeting of leaders in the EU capital on 14-15 December.

Officials have already begun warning that they will be working all night between December 14th and 15th, and that there are so many issues on which to reach compliance that the meeting could last until the weekend of December 16th.

Until finding a way to give the green light to Moldova, Ukraine and possibly Bosnia and Herzegovina for starting EU membership talks as soon as possible, there are other issues that need to be clarified before the holiday end of the year.

The package of sanctions against Russia and Ukraine's financing for the next three years and sending weapons can be a topic of discussion.

And, at the heart of all these decisions, there is Hungary. /rel