By Marek Strzelecki, Lili Bayer and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk WARSAW (Reuters) - 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.

A gala was held in Warsaw on Friday as Poland officially assumed the presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2025.

A diplomatic row with Hungary underscores a deepening sense of political disunity across Europe. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Poland will chair the European Council — one of the bloc's legislative bodies made up of 27 national ministers from each member state, whose portfolios include different policy areas — for the second time after almost 14 years, when incumbent Prime Minister Donald Tusk was also in office.