Dispute over Ukraine aid: Orban remains tough ahead of EU summit
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen initially wanted to meet with Orban as a foursome to seek a solution, as the Council announced in Brussels. Decisions in favor of Ukraine require unanimity, giving Orban a right of veto.
"If some people don't listen, it gets really complicated," said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda. Unfortunately, it really is a picture of 26 member states against one, said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. "But we are not sitting here to offer Orban something." Ignoring Ukraine 's great efforts was "simply not fair", said Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
The planned 50 billion euros over the next four years are intended to save Ukraine from economic collapse. The EU also wants to open accession talks with Ukraine and neighboring Moldova, and Georgia is to become a candidate country.
Shortly before the start of the summit, von der Leyen's EU Commission released ten billion euros for Hungary, which had previously been frozen due to a dispute over violations of the rule of law. Brussels justified this with a judicial reform in Hungary, which came into force on Wednesday.
Von der Leyen was therefore sharply criticized. She had paid a gigantic "bribe" to get Orban to give in, European parliamentarians were outraged. They continue to see serious judicial shortcomings in Hungary.
"The timing is not good", said the Irish head of government Leo Varadkar. The impression is being created "that this is a kind of incentive to get Hungary to support certain positions". Orban himself emphasized that there was no connection between the ten billion and the Ukraine issues.
At the two-day summit, the EU also wants to find a solution to the deadlocked dispute over further billions for migration and future technologies. Scholz had previously made it clear that, due to the budget shortfalls in Germany and other countries, he was relying on the redistribution of funds already pledged in the EU budget framework up to 2027. Another topic is the Middle East war.
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- Despite the dispute over Ukraine aid, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and French President Emmanuel Macron initially wanted to engage in discussions with Viktor Orban before the EU summit in Brussels.
- Decisions regarding Ukraine's aid require unanimity, granting Orban the power to veto, which could lead to complications if some members fail to listen, as Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda noted.
- Mark Rutte, the Dutch Prime Minister, remarked that the situation appears to involve 26 member states contrasting with one, indicating a challenging dynamic.
- Regardless of these challenges, Scholz, Macron, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen aimed to seek a compromise with Orban, viewing it as an opportunity for a resolution.
- Prior to the summit, the EU Commission released ten billion euros for Hungary, signaling a potential turning point in their ongoing dispute over rule of law violations.
- Von der Leyen's decision faced criticism from European parliamentarians, who perceived the move as a bribe to obtain Orban's compliance on the Ukraine aid issue.
- Orban himself refuted this claim, asserting that there was no direct connection between the ten billion euros and the Ukraine issues.
- Alongside the Ukraine aid dispute, the EU summit aims to address several other challenges, including the impasse over further billions for migration and future technologies.
- Scholz expressed his belief in relying on the redistribution of funds within the EU budget framework until 2027 to offset budgetary shortfalls in various countries.
- Additionally, the Middle East conflict was expected to be discussed at the EU summit, with potential solutions and strategies being explored.
- Amidst these pressing issues, EU leaders hope to find consensus and collaborate, ultimately aiming to foster unity and advance the interests of all member states.
Source: www.stern.de
