BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — Poland takes over the European Union’s (EU) rotating presidency from Hungary on 1 January, a change at the helm likely to be met with a sigh of relief in many EU quarters.

Warsaw is expected to bring a more conciliatory approach than its predecessor to a role that — although lacking in real power — is seen as a key driver of the bloc’s action.

Traditionally hawkish towards Russia, Poland has been among Ukraine’s loudest backers since the 2022 invasion, while Hungary — as Moscow’s closest EU ally — has resisted support for Kyiv.

“Everyone is looking forward to having a fresh start,” said a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity.

Long bound together by strong cultural and diplomatic ties, Poland and Hungary have seen their European fortunes diverge dramatically in recent years.

Under Hungary’s nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orban, Budapest has regularly found itself at loggerheads with Brussels, becoming something of a black sheep.

Its six-month presidency was awaited with dread and later proved to be “quite irritating” to other EU governments, said Guntram Wolff, a senior fellow at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel.

While each EU country fights tooth-and-nail for its own interests, when they assume the EU presidency they are meant to put their politics aside to take on a seemingly more neutral role.

Orban used the platform to openly pursue his own diplomatic agenda.

He began by travelling to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin as part of an unapproved Ukraine “peace mission” that also saw him visit Kyiv and Beijing. That sparked fury among fellow EU leaders.

Although the EU likens the role of the presidency to “hosting a dinner” among the bloc’s members, the job is not without punch.

The country in charge gets to chair meetings of the European Council, which comprises the governments of the 27 EU states, steer the agenda and steward negotiations.