Viktor Orban, who is close to Vladimir Putin, on Friday vetoed an agreement on a 50 billion euro aid program for Ukraine, although such a decision required unanimity. Hoping that an agreement can be reached at their next summit in early 2024, European leaders assure that Ukraine can definitely count on the EU. At 26 or 27.
The EU will not let go of Ukraine, even if that means giving up Hungary. While Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed an agreement on a €50 billion aid program for Ukraine on Friday, December 15, many European leaders reacted with the hope that an agreement would be reached in early 2024 can be.
Viktor Orban also warned that he would still be able to block Kiev's accession process to the European Union, the principle of which was, however, approved by European leaders on Thursday evening. But in the discussions about the 50 billion euro aid program for Ukraine over four years, they were unable to do anything against the determined opposition of this close ally of Vladimir Putin, even though unanimity was required.
The Kremlin welcomed the Hungarian prime minister's stance. His spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was “impressed” while condemning the EU's “political” decision to start accession negotiations with Kiev, which Moscow said could destabilize the bloc.
Viktor Orban, who constantly criticizes the EU on domestic political grounds, said on Hungarian public radio on Friday that he had blocked the aid program for Ukraine to ensure that Budapest received the funds it demanded from the European budget.
The EU had announced before the opening of the summit the release of 10 billion euros in funds intended for Hungary after the adoption of a law on the independence of the judiciary, but Brussels continues to block around 20 billion euros more due to repeated attacks on the rule of law in it Country.
The continuation of budget negotiations in January will be “an excellent opportunity for Hungary to say that it should receive the money to which it is entitled,” Viktor Orban said.
Bitterly, European leaders nevertheless assure that Ukraine will receive financial support from the EU “whatever happens.”
![FR 20231215 160842 161303 CS](https://www.spamchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Ukraine-Faced-with-Hungarian-veto-European-leaders-are-ready-to.png'aide%20europ%C3%A9enne%20%C3%A0%20l'Ukraine","id":"5535ce5c-cd7e-11ed-854c-005056bf30b7"}/FR_20231215_160842_161303_CS.jpg "Ukraine: Faced with Hungarian veto, European leaders are ready to help Kiev \"whatever happens\" 3")
04:20 © fr24
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Overcoming the Hungarian veto to help Ukraine
Emmanuel Macron refused to “declare victory” after the political agreement between member states excluding Hungary to start accession negotiations with Kiev on Thursday evening and called on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to “behave like a European” and not join the EU take over Ukraine is “a hostage” and stressed that Hungary and its Prime Minister were “respected” during the Twenty-Seven Summit.
“I expect Viktor Orban in the coming months to behave like a European, taking into account his legitimate interests, and not to hold our political progress hostage,” he said.
On the question of the European budget blocked by Viktor Orban and the multi-year aid of 50 billion euros to Ukraine: “I think that in February or at the beginning of the year it will undoubtedly be easier” to find an agreement, said the French President.
Faced with this impasse, European leaders actually agreed to meet again at a new summit in early 2024, hoping for an agreement among the 27. But if they failed, they still committed to supporting them, including at the 26.
“Until then, we will use the time to ensure that we have an operational solution in every case at this summit,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“We are of course working very hard to reach an agreement between the 27 member states. But I think it is also necessary to work on possible alternatives in order to have a working solution in the event that an agreement with the 27 member states is not possible,” she said.
“I am reasonably optimistic” about the chances of an agreement with 27, said Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
European Council President Charles Michel went further, saying he was “extremely confident and optimistic” about the EU's ability to honor its commitments to Ukraine.
“Ukraine is in a difficult situation due to the blockage in the American Congress and the blockade on the European side. There are reasons for concern, but I note the quite proactive comments of the various European leaders,” notes Lukas Macek to France 24, head of the “Greater Europe” research center at the Jacques Delors Institute. “If the Hungarian blockade continues, member states that want to financially support Ukraine will find a way to do so.”
07:47
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A “Pyrrhic Victory”
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, for its part, called for the lifting of the block on EU aid worth 50 billion euros from January. “We expect that all necessary legal procedures will be completed by January 2024, which would allow us to obtain the funds in question as quickly as possible,” he said in a statement.
President Volodymyr Zelensky was combative in his speech broadcast on social media: “We will do everything in our power to make Ukraine strong and ensure that next year we will all be confident: confident in defense support , macrofinance and policy support.”
We continue to work with partners to maintain unity in supporting Ukraine. With those in Europe, America and around the world who support us, our state and international law.
Our foreign policy will be active in the coming weeks and we are already planning… pic.twitter.com/YmNta6e5gV
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володиmir Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 15, 2023
Lukas Macek analyzes the Hungarian veto as a “Pyrrhic victory”. “[Viktor Orban] increases its isolation within the EU,” he explains, recalling that the Hungarian leader has just lost an important ally, Poland, within the EU. “Bringing your partners to the European borders is a risky strategy.”
In addition to the question of European aid, the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine – and Moldova – still marks the limits of the Hungarian leader's obstructionist strategy and represents a political victory for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, at a time when international support for Kiev seems to be falling apart.
“This is a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens,” said the Ukrainian head of state happily.
Arriving in Brussels on the second day of the summit, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said he was “proud to be European” even if Thursday's decision was “only the first page of a very, very long process.”
Viktor Orban, in turn, continued to criticize a “bad decision”. “We can block this process later and if necessary, we will put on the brakes and the final decision will be left to the Hungarian Parliament,” he warned.
Viktor Orban, prime minister twice, from 1998 to 2002 and since 2010, is certainly the current European leader with the most experience in the EU, but his counterparts also know how to “manage” him, notes a European diplomat. “He knows the rules of the game. He also knows how to formulate his messages in such a way that he always has several exit routes,” he emphasizes to AFP.
“But on Thursday he gave in” when it came to Ukraine’s accession, he added. Likewise, since the beginning of the war, he has never resisted European sanctions against Russia, “no matter what one might say about his closeness to Vladimir Putin.”
With AFP and Portal