Hungary once again blocked a tranche of EU military assistance to Ukraine for about 500 million euros.
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Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó is dissatisfied with the fact that in Ukraine the Hungarian OTP Bank is on the list of international sponsors of the war from the NAPC. At the same time, they are ready to unblock the aid package if the bank is excluded from it, Reuters writes, citing the country’s foreign minister.
In May, Budapest already blocked a payment under the European Peace Fund, citing the same reason.
Hungary will block the European integration of Ukraine until the problem with the rights of the Transcarpathian Hungarians is resolved, – said Foreign Minister Piotr Szijjarto.
It should be noted that the Venice Commission recommended that Ukraine review the provision of the law on national minorities, which came into force in March.
On June 25, the Council of the EU approved an increase of 3.5 billion euros in the European Peace Fund, from which arms supplies to Ukraine are paid
The foreign ministers of 27 EU states approved an increase by 3.5 billion euros in the volume of the European Peace Fund, from which Brussels allocates money for the supply of weapons to Ukraine. This is stated in a statement by the EU Council, which is meeting in Luxembourg.
The European Peace Fund (EPF) is an EU extrabudgetary instrument created in 2021 designed to prevent conflicts, promote peace and strengthen international security.
In total, the EU within the framework of this fund has already provided Ukraine with about 3.5 billion euros to compensate for the supply of weapons.
With today’s expansion, the fund’s total financial ceiling is over 12 billion euros. This decision sends a clear political signal of the EU’s continued commitment to military support for both Ukraine and other partners, said Josep Borrell, head of European diplomacy.
Last month, another tranche of military assistance to Ukraine (500 million euros) from the fund was blocked by Hungary.
Hungary does not agree that the European Union, along with other existing instruments, uses the European Peace Fund exclusively to support Ukraine, since this does not allow sufficient funds to be directed to promote EU interests in other areas, the press service of the Hungarian government said.
At the same time, the Hungarian authorities then also hinted that they were ready to lift the veto if Kyiv agreed to exclude the Hungarian bank OTP from its list of war sponsors.
Source: Racurs
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