The EU wanted to show its support by starting negotiations to admit Ukraine and Moldova, but it is not going through “the best of times”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. “There is no doubt that these new members can really destabilize the EU.”
Meanwhile, Peskov has received praise for Orban's approach. Hungary is a sovereign country with “its own interests”, as the Kremlin spokesman stated here: “And in contrast to many other European countries, Hungary defends its interests with determination, which impresses us”.
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War in Ukraine: to what extent is the situation at an impasse?
Russian gas and oil also play a role
Orbán's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin is considered relaxed compared to other EU states, as shown in a recent photo together on the sidelines of a trip to China. According to diplomats, Russian gas and oil, which Hungary continues to purchase on a large scale, contrary to all EU decisions, also play a role for Orban.
It is very “satisfactory” that Russia continues to maintain relations with “many European countries”, Putin said in October, after bilateral talks in Beijing. “One of these countries is Hungary.” Orbán was convinced, after the meeting, that Hungary is the only country in Europe that supports peace between Russia and Ukraine. “We’re proud of that.”
APA/AFP/Grigory Sysoyev Hungarian Prime Minister Orban and Russian President Putin spoke in Beijing on October 17
Russia itself has had great influence in the former Soviet republics for decades – and is now particularly wary of losing the important agricultural state of Moldova as a trading partner after Ukraine. However, from the perspective of countries that are among the poorest states in Eastern Europe and the EU, Russia itself is the biggest destabilizing factor in the region. In Moldova, Russia stationed soldiers in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Russia occupies large parts of Ukraine as part of its destructive war of aggression against the country.
Macron: Orbán takes EU hostage
On Friday, Orban made his approval of more EU aid to Ukraine dependent on the release of blocked EU funds for his country. Hungary demands “not half, not a quarter, but everything”, Orban said in an interview with Hungarian radio on Friday, referring to EU funds worth twelve billion euros, which are still held up due to violations. of the rule of law.
The Hungarian prime minister should not be allowed to take the international community hostage, French President Emmanuel Macron said at the end of the EU summit. In his opinion, Orbán was respected during the meeting of the 27 heads of state and government, and now he also has to respect the EU in return.
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Orbán sets condition for yes to aid to Ukraine
Monika Vana, head of the Austrian Greens delegation in the European Parliament, also identified “blackmail attempts”. The EU should under no circumstances release any additional funds to Orban. With the partial release of ten billion euros that has already occurred, she “made a disastrous mistake” and “fell for Orbán’s blackmail”. Instead of showing him red lines, the heads of state and government “offered Orban a face-saving solution”, concluded the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.
Scholz defends “procedural trick”
On Thursday, Orban used his veto to block the payment of further EU aid to Ukraine, worth €50 billion. The dispute over the start of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine was considered deadlocked until the summit because Orban opposed such a move.
As a solution, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz suggested that Orban abandon the meeting for the decision, in order to allow the other heads of state and government to reach the necessary consensus. Scholz said on Friday after the summit that he himself would not call it a trick. “It’s a decision we made by mutual agreement, in accordance with our rules.” But he added: “It’s not something you should always do.”
Orban: We can still prevent EU membership
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen believes that a way out of the EU's budget dispute with Hungary without Budapest's consent is possible. We are working hard on a solution that all EU states can agree on. “But I think it is now also necessary to work on possible alternatives,” von der Leyen said on Friday, after the EU summit in Brussels. “We will have a solution that works.”
According to Orban, Hungary can still block Ukraine's EU membership: At the end of the “very long process”, the Hungarian parliament can still block Ukraine's EU membership if necessary, Orban said on state radio on Friday. fair.
Orbán sets condition for yes to aid to Ukraine
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has made his approval of more EU aid to Ukraine dependent on the release of blocked EU funds for his country. Orban confirmed this on Friday in an interview with Hungarian radio, with a view to EU funds worth twelve billion euros.
Initially, any connection with EU funds was denied
The EU Commission has proposed an increase in the EU budget to protect Ukraine from economic collapse. There were also negotiations on a further increase in the EU's budgetary framework until 2027. A good 20 billion euros were recently discussed, including for the protection of external borders and migration agreements with third countries. According to diplomats, the agreement also failed because of Hungary.
It was suspected that there was a link to EU funds for Hungary that were being withheld due to violations of the rule of law. The European Commission released ten billion euros of these funds on Wednesday, while another twelve billion euros remain frozen. However, Orbán initially emphasized that there was no connection to Ukraine issues.