Hungary vetoes financial aid to Ukraine from the EU

Orban vetoed the allocation of aid to Ukraine/Collage 24 Channel

Hungary vetoed a long-term budget assistance program for Ukraine, within which 50 billion euros should be allocated. This issue will be considered again at the beginning of 2024.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced this on the X network. At the same time, the EU emphasizes that the aid package has not been rejected completely, but has been postponed, reports 24 Channel.

The EU is confident that it will be able to provide financial assistance

Negotiations between EU leaders to release a financial aid package of 50 billion euros continued until late at night. At the end of the meeting, President of the European Council Charles Michel said that the issue of discussion was not only the financing of Ukraine, but also the costs of migration programs, financing of the EU Solidarity Fund and Defense.

However, a decision could not be made because one country vetoed the decision. Charles Michel did not name the country that did not support the corresponding decision, but Orban later said that it was Hungary that vetoed.

The result of the night shift: a veto on additional money for Ukraine, a veto on the revision of the multi-year budget. We will return to this issue next year at the EU summit after appropriate preparation,” Orban wrote on the X network.

At the same time, the EU assures that they will be able to accept the package multibillion-dollar aid and allocate support to Ukraine. Charles Michel emphasized that the European Parliament is capable of making unanimous decisions. He also added that Ukraine “can count on the support of the EU.”

“We have the tools to ensure that Ukraine can count on our support. There is a strong the political will of 26 leaders to accept this “mega-package”. And this is the signal that we want to send to Ukraine,” Michel emphasized.

However, the EU did not specify how how they will make decisions about financial assistance. Michel only added that leaders have “different tools” to fulfill the political promise of aid.

Orbán left the room, when they voted for the decision on Ukraine

On December 14, the EU made a historic decision to begin negotiations on Ukraine's accession. According to Channel 24 sources, when the European Parliament voted for the corresponding decision, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban left the hall.

Moreover, he also published a video online in which assured that Hungary does not support the EU decision. Consequently, the decision was made by the remaining 26 member countries. Channel 24 sources in Brussels added that Orbán was absent from the room for a short period of time “in a pre-agreed and constructive manner.”