Kremlin Commends Hungary's Prime Minister for Blocking EU Aid to Ukraine
The Kremlin praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for blocking an EU proposal to give €50 billion in aid to Ukraine at a summit in Brussels. Despite this, EU leaders managed to agree on initiating membership talks with Ukraine after Orban stepped aside to avoid a veto on the decision.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed admiration for Hungary's defense of its own interests, reflecting the country's close ties with Russia. Hungary’s stance caused EU leaders to plan a revisit of the aid discussion in a future summit.
Orban linked Hungary's veto to the EU withholding funds from Hungary due to concerns over democratic regression and corruption. He sees this as a chance for Hungary to negotiate fair treatment and potentially regain withheld EU funds.
EU leaders, expressing disappointment at Hungary’s veto, suggested that an alternative could involve individual nations providing bilateral support to Ukraine instead of a unified EU package. This workaround might be considered if Hungary maintains its resistance.
Lithuania's President envisages the potential for a consensus, while Ukraine's President Zelensky sees the decision to commence membership discussions as a significant win that 'motivates, inspires, and strengthens' Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and questions over Western support. The White House also praised the decision as historic, although EU states must first establish a negotiating framework, providing Orban with another chance to delay the process.
Some EU leaders are concerned about the precedent set by Orban's strategy to sidestep discussions, fearing it could undermine future EU unity on difficult issues.