Orban blocks new financial aid for Ukraine
Success is followed by a heavy defeat: 26 heads of state and government agree at the EU summit, but Hungary blocks further financial aid for Ukraine. The protection of Europe's external borders also suffers from Viktor Orban's veto.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has prevented an agreement on new financial aid for Ukraine at the EU summit in Brussels. "Veto against the additional funds for Ukraine", wrote the Hungarian head of government on the night of X. According to EU Council President Charles Michel, a new attempt is planned soon: "We will come back to this issue early next year and try to reach unanimity."
The summit was actually supposed to decide to earmark a total of 50 billion euros to support Ukraine in the coming years. 17 billion euros of this is to flow as grants and 33 billion euros as loans. There are also plans to adjust other areas of the long-term EU budget from 2021 to 2027. At the request of countries such as Italy, there is also to be additional money for industrial competitiveness and migration policy. However, these plans are also affected by Hungary's veto for the time being.
"We are in agreement with 26 member states," said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, "but there is no agreement from Hungary." The talks will therefore not continue on the second day of the summit. "We have come to the conclusion that it is indeed best to let the matter rest for the time being," said the Dutchman.
"Unfounded, unbalanced and unrealistic"
The EU Commission had proposed an increase in the EU budget to save Ukraine from economic collapse with 50 billion euros over the next four years. There was also haggling over a further increase in the EU budget until 2027, with a good 20 billion euros most recently being discussed, including for external border protection and migration agreements with third countries. However, Orban reportedly vetoed this as well.
Orban had already criticized the EU Commission's proposals for the revision of the long-term budget before the summit as "unfounded, unbalanced and unrealistic". However, the other heads of state and government had hoped until the end that they would be able to persuade him to agree with offers of compromise.
The summit had actually started on a positive note. Orban surprisingly made it possible to decide to start accession negotiations with Ukraine by not taking part in the decisive vote.
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Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has once again polarized European politics during the EU summit by blocking further financial aid for Ukraine. Despite agreement from 26 out of 27 EU member states, Orban's veto thwarted the allocation of 50 billion euros to support Ukraine over the next few years.
At the same EU summit, Orban also opposed adjustments to the EU budget for 2021 to 2027, which could have provided additional funds for areas such as industrial competitiveness and migration policy. His objections delayed these plans, further highlighting Hungary's influential role within the EU.
Source: www.ntv.de
