Hungary hints at “selling” veto power over aid to Ukraine | outside

Almost every other EU country wants to promise Ukraine another €50 billion over the next four years, but Hungary has been vocally opposed. The government in Budapest took a principled tone. Thus aid will only prolong the bloodshed. EU diplomats insisted that Budapest usually comes when the time of need comes, but doubts arose due to strict and direct resistance. Although Hungary has long been negotiating the release of frozen EU subsidies, it has long been said that Budapest is essentially threatening to use its veto power to withdraw those funds.

Ahead of the EU summit, which starts on Thursday, Balázs Orban, Orban’s closest adviser, hinted that Hungary is already considering these two issues against each other. He stressed in an interview with Bloomberg News Agency that “European Union-Hungarian aid and financing for Ukraine are two different issues.” “But if the EU insists that financing for Ukraine should come from the revised EU budget, the two issues become linked.” At the summit, EU leaders will decide on the European Commission’s proposal to increase the EU budget so that it can support Ukraine, among other things.

Reaching an agreement with Hungary also raises a great deal of resistance in advance. Critics point out that the flow of money to Budapest was not stopped for nothing. The EU did this because the Orbán government is eroding the rule of law and allowing corruption to flourish. It was agreed that only if Hungary implemented a long series of reforms would it be able to expect billions again.

Hungary also threatens to thwart Ukraine’s next step toward European Union membership. This is also an important issue for the EU leadership.

The Ukrainian president is currently visiting the United States to convince Republicans in particular of the need to support a new aid package for Ukraine.