EU Budget, Russia vaccinations, Romania elections

Leaders in Hungary and Poland appear unwilling to back down over their EU budget veto, but threats by EU officials to circumvent them entirely may make a compromise more likely. President Putin’s announcement that a mass vaccination drive in Russia will start next week comes at a crucial time as the health sector appears to be under growing strain. And this Sunday will see Romania head to the polls, with the party of incumbent Prime Minister, Ludovic Orban, likely to win the popular vote. This is unlikely to herald a major shift in economic policy, though a tighter fiscal stance is probable.