BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union failed to agree on a 50 billion euro package of financial aid that Ukraine desperately needs to stay afloat, despite the bloc deciding Thursday to start accession negotiations with the war-torn Ukraine to take up country.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban rejected the aid and dealt another blow to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after he failed this week to convince U.S. lawmakers to approve an additional $61 billion for Ukraine, mainly for the purchase of weapons from the USA
The start of accession negotiations was a significant moment and a stunning turnaround for a country at war that had struggled to find support for its membership ambitions and had long faced stubborn resistance from Orban.
Hungary's head of state decided not to veto the accession negotiations, but then blocked the aid package.
“I can inform you that 26 heads of state and government have agreed on the (budget negotiations),” European Council President Charles Michel said. “I should be very precise. A head of state, Sweden, has to consult his parliament, which is the usual procedure in this country, and a head of state could not agree to that.”
The decisions required unanimity among EU members.
Nevertheless, Michel, who chaired the Brussels summit, described the start of accession negotiations as “a clear signal of hope for your people and our continent”.
Although the process between the start of negotiations and Ukraine's final accession could take many years, Zelensky hailed the deal as “a victory for Ukraine.” A victory for all of Europe.”
“History is written by those who never tire of fighting for freedom,” Zelensky said.
The financial package failed to be approved after Orban rejected both the additional money and a review of the EU budget. Ukraine is urgently counting on the funds to help its damaged economy survive next year.
Michel said leaders would meet again in January to resolve the impasse.
Orban had warned before the summit that a forced decision on the Ukraine issue could destroy the unity of the EU. Decisions on EU enlargement and a review of its long-term budget, which includes the 50 billion euros ($54.1 billion) in aid to the government in Kiev, must be made unanimously by all 27 member states.
Orban had also threatened to reject the start of accession negotiations, but ultimately backed down.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called the opening of accession negotiations a black eye for Russian President Vladimir Putin. “It is a very clear message to Moscow. “We Europeans are not letting go of Ukraine,” he said.
Orban said his opposition remains steadfast but that he decided not to veto it because the 26 other nations argued so strongly for it. According to EU rules, an abstention does not prevent the adoption of a decision.
An EU official, who insisted not to be named because the summit negotiations are private, said Orban was “temporarily absent from the room in a pre-agreed and constructive manner” at the time of the decision.
Orban said he resigned because all his counterparts were determined to put Ukraine on the path to EU membership, although their position had not changed his mind.
“Hungary's perspective is clear: Ukraine is not ready for us to start negotiations on its EU membership. It is a completely illogical, irrational and inappropriate decision,” he said.
Others praised Orban's gesture. They had prepared for Saturday's summit to become an extra day.
“Certainly faster than any of us expected,” said Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.
“To be fair to Prime Minister Orban, he made his arguments very clear. He does not agree with this decision and is not changing his mind in that sense, but has essentially decided not to use the veto power,” Varadkar said.
“I respect the fact that he didn't do that because it would have put us as a European Union in a very difficult position,” the Irish leader added.
Belgium's De Croo had a slightly different opinion, saying he thought Orban “didn't use his veto because he realized it would be unjustifiable.”
At the same time as Ukraine, EU heads of state and government also decided to start accession negotiations with Ukraine's neighbor Moldova.
In the United States, national security adviser Jake Sullivan welcomed “the EU's historic decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, a crucial step towards fulfilling its Euro-Atlantic ambitions.”
The news was met with cautious optimism in Kiev.
“We are Europe. Ukraine is Europe, the center of Europe. I want us to receive the status of a proud member of Europe,” said Olha Paradovska, a 70-year-old Kiev resident.
Ivan Olezhko, 19, said the decision to start accession negotiations was long overdue. “If everything goes well, I will be happy, but we don’t know what will happen next,” he said.
EU leaders had expected the summit to last at least until late Friday before any breakthrough could be achieved. Therefore, the fateful announcement came completely unexpected after Orban failed to block his colleagues' move.
A beaming Michel made an unscheduled appearance in the summit's media room and said: “This is a historic moment and it shows the credibility of the European Union.” The strength of the European Union. The decision has been made.”
He said negotiations would open before a report is presented to leaders in March.
The surprise came at a dire time for Zelensky, right after a trip this week to Washington where his pleas for more help from the U.S. Congress fell on deaf ears. The Ukrainian president looked for a better answer in Brussels.
“It is equally important that Ukraine has the means to continue the war and rebuild its country,” De Croo said.
The urgency of finding a solution is only surpassed by the potential blow to the EU's credibility, the Ukrainian president said in a video address to heads of state and government gathered in Brussels.
“Nobody wants Europe to be seen as untrustworthy. Or as incapable of making decisions for themselves,” he said.
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Associated Press writers Vasilisa Stepanenko in Kiev, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Justin Spike in Budapest contributed to this report.