Warsaw, Budapest light up in blue to show solidarity with EU ahead of summit

The Palace of Culture and Science is lit up in the blue colour of the European Union's flag ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, in Warsaw, Poland December 9, 2020. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

WARSAW/BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Some cities and towns in Poland and Hungary, including both capitals, have lit buildings and monuments in blue in solidarity with the European Union, ahead of a summit at which the countries' leaders have threatened to block the EU budget.

The mayors of Warsaw and Budapest have long called on the EU to bypass national governments that flout democratic standards and deal directly with municipalities when providing funding.