Putin’s ally Orban blocks 50 billion euros in EU aid for Ukraine

Hungary has blocked 50 billion euros in EU aid for Ukraine – just hours after an agreement was reached to start accession negotiations.

“Summary of the night shift: veto against additional money in Ukraine,” said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban after the talks in Brussels on Thursday.

The EU heads of state and government said that Ukraine would not be left without support.

Ukraine is heavily reliant on EU and US funding as it continues to fight Russian occupation forces.

Orban announced his blockade shortly after EU leaders decided to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova and grant candidate status to Georgia.

Hungary – which has close relations with Russia – has long opposed Ukraine’s membership, but has not vetoed it.

Orban left the room as the vote took place in a pre-arranged and constructive manner, while the other 26 heads of state and government continued to vote.

On Friday, he told Hungarian state radio that he had fought for eight hours to stop his EU partners but could not convince them. Ukraine’s path to EU membership was a long process anyway, he said, and the parliament in Budapest could stop it if it wanted to.

The talks on the financial package ended in the early hours of Friday morning. EU leaders said negotiations would resume early next year and assured Kiev that support would continue.

Later, European Council President Charles Michel said he was “confident and optimistic” that the EU would fulfill its promise to support Ukraine.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo repeated: “The message to Ukraine is: we will be there to support you, we just need to clarify some details together.”

Michel had previously confirmed that all but one of the EU heads of state and government had agreed to the aid package and the broader budget proposals for the Union – although Sweden still had to consult its parliament. He promised to achieve the unanimity required for the deal.

A long delay in financial aid to the country would cause major problems for Ukraine’s budget, Kiev-based economist Sergiy Fursa told the BBC.

“It covers all the social responsibilities of the government – salaries for teachers, doctors for pensions,” he said.

Ukraine is also desperately seeking approval of a $61 billion defense aid package from the US – but that decision is also being delayed by major disagreements between Democratic and Republican lawmakers.

Ukraine’s counter-offensive against Russian invasion forces stalled at the beginning of winter, and fears remain for Ukraine.

/The Geopost