Abstract
The article analyses the development of the conflict between Brussels, on the one side, and Poland and Hungary, on the other side, in 2023. The causes and consequences of the emergence of new problems, as well as the existing ongoing proceedings on the rule of law are considered. The contradictory process of this confrontation is not new to the European agenda, but every year the number of pan-European projects and initiatives vetoed by Warsaw and Budapest increases with the aim of persuading Brussels to make concessions on certain issues and mitigate the effect of imposed financial penalties, which the EU is also using more actively to force the two countries to follow in the wake of common political rules. The events in Ukraine, as well as the global agenda, very often directly affect relations within the EU, giving Poland and Hungary more room for maneuver in defending their identity and their own vision of the future of European integration. It is concluded that at this stage the confrontation has intensified and led to decisive measures on both sides. Despite this, the parties, as before, are doomed to seek compromises and negotiate.