Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who in December 2023 blocked an allocation of 50 billion euros to help Ukraine from the EU budget, said on Tuesday that Ukraine needs help, but not from the EU budget, but separately and in proportion to national income. helping allied countries.
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If we want to help Ukraine, and I think we need to do this. […] then we need to do this in a way that does not harm the EU budget. Giving 50 billion euros in advance for four years from the EU budget is a violation of the sovereignty and national interests of the EU, Reuters quotes the Hungarian Prime Minister.
He said Hungary was willing to agree to calculate the burden on each country based on gross national income.
Then we, together with the Hungarian Parliament, will provide the amount due from Hungary from the Hungarian budget,” Orbán continued. – This is Hungary’s proposal. If Brussels accepts it, then aid to Ukraine will be outside the budget. If not, then unfortunately I will have no choice but to stop this process.
The European Commission proposed to allocate 50 billion for economic assistance to Ukraine over the next four years, including this money in the seven-year EU budget plan. It will be valid for another four years.
Orban, who has long been at odds with both Ukraine and Brussels, blocked this plan at an EU summit in mid-December.
Now the EU is going to hold an extraordinary summit on February 1 and try to approve a plan to help Ukraine, persuading Hungary.
Orban spoke on Tuesday in Budapest at a joint press conference with visiting Slovakia’s new Prime Minister Robert Fico, another opponent of aid to Ukraine. Fico, in his statements, continued his line, according to which assistance to Ukraine would seem to continue unnecessary bloodshed.
Why revise the budget in such a way that at a time when we are in need within the EU, we will spend money not on them, but on Ukraine? – said Fico.
Let us remind you that the Financial Times, citing officials, wrote that the European Commission is ready to comply with some of Hungary’s demands in order to provide a support package for Ukraine in the amount of 50 billion euros.
To persuade Orbán to override his veto, the commission is willing to give the Hungarian prime minister the option in 2025 to stop the funding deal midway.
As part of a potential agreement, the EU would agree to include a review of the four-year support package next year, when it could assess whether Ukraine needs the full amount, and whether Kyiv has met the requirements to receive EU assistance. This would allow Orban to veto its extension, the publication writes.
The Commission is also ready, according to the FT, to agree to annual checks and the inclusion of an “emergency braking” clause, according to which any country will be able to express concerns about assistance to Ukraine.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.