The European Union plans to provide Ukraine with 50 billion euros in aid, even if Hungary tries to veto it. The aid is intended to help Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The proposal to expand budget support for Ukraine will be voted on by the EU’s 27 member states at a summit in Brussels on December 14-15. However, there are concerns that Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has close ties with Moscow, may block the aid. In response, EU officials have stated that they can work around Hungary’s veto by asking other member states to set up their own aid packages for Ukraine. Despite the potential obstacles, EU officials are confident that Ukraine will receive the necessary support.
Last year, Hungary vetoed a similar proposal to provide 18 billion euros in financial assistance to Ukraine. After months of negotiations, Budapest eventually agreed to the package after receiving concessions from the EU and being assured that a workaround would be used to push it through. European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis expressed hope that a similar scenario could be avoided this year. However, the decision on whether to start EU accession negotiations with Ukraine in December requires unanimous agreement from all 27 EU members, which may be challenging given Orban’s opposition. Orban has been involved in numerous disputes with the EU over issues such as democratic standards, foreign policy, migration, and LGBT rights. While the EU is considering unlocking some of the funds suspended for Hungary, it still expects Hungary to meet the necessary conditions.
