Meeting in Brussels, European Union leaders failed to convince Hungary to lift its veto on the €50 billion aid package to support Ukraine in its war against Russia. A setback for the bloc, which had managed to open accession negotiations with kyiv the day before. While the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, conditioned the lifting of the veto on the unlocking of European funds destined for his country, the other European partners reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, ensuring that an aid plan will be decided in early 2024. They also addressed the situation in Gaza.
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A failure after an important advance for kyiv. Despite the insistence of the other member countries of the European Union, meeting in Brussels since Thursday within the framework of the European Council summit, Hungary imposed its veto on a new plan of 50 billion euros destined for Ukraine in its war against Russia. On Thursday, December 14, the bloc had managed to start negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the organization.
In recent days, Viktor Orbán, considered the leader of the bloc closest to Russia, repeated that Ukraine was not prepared to negotiate its accession because it did not respect the conditions established by the Union, for example, regarding the fight against corruption.
Although he expressed his opposition to opening accession negotiations with Ukraine, calling it a “bad decision,” the nationalist leader preferred to abstain, letting the bloc begin the process. However, as the debates continued, early on Friday, the Hungarian Prime Minister maintained his veto of the financial aid that the bloc intends to grant to kyiv. As Orbán insisted on Friday, the money is for European citizens, and not to financially assist Ukraine.
Summary of the nightshift:
🚫 veto for the extra money to Ukraine,
🚫 veto for the MFF review.
We will come back to the issue next year in the #EUCO after proper preparation.— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) December 15, 2023
“Summary of the night: veto of additional funds for Ukraine and the review of the European budget. We will return to these issues next year within the framework of the European Council, with adequate preparation,” Viktor Orbán published on platform X, formerly Twitter.
A new summit at the beginning of next year to again discuss aid to Ukraine
The plan provided for aid of 50 billion euros for Ukraine, divided into 33 billion euros in loans and 17 billion euros in subsidies, over four years, starting next year. kyiv considers this new aid indispensable to resist the Russian invasion.
European aid now seems even more important, since on December 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Washington, where he failed to convince Congress to approve a new $61 billion package for his country.
Despite Hungary's veto, the other member countries of the Union reaffirmed their support for their Ukrainian ally and did not abandon the idea of approving a new financial assistance plan in the coming months.
The war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine has already deeply transformed the EU.
This summit has a historic dimension: we've agreed to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, and to grant candidate status to Georgia.
We also decided to open negotiations with… pic.twitter.com/zD0TYv9M75
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) December 15, 2023
“We still have time, Ukraine will not run out of money in the coming weeks,” declared Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as he emerged from the discussions. “I am quite sure that we will be able to reach an agreement at the beginning of next year, we believe at the end of January,” added the Dutch president, specifying that another summit would be organized to reach an agreement.
The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, backed Rutte. “I am confident and optimistic that we will be in a position to fulfill our promise to support Ukraine with financial means.” “We will return to the issue at the beginning of January,” said the senior European official.
The veto, linked to the unlocking of funds for Hungary
In parallel, the European Commission indicated that it is working on an alternative plan for the European Union to continue providing financial aid to Ukraine. “We are working very hard to have a result in which there is agreement among the 27 (countries that make up the community bloc), but I believe that now it is also necessary to work on potential alternatives to have an operational solution in case unanimity is not possible. possible,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the press conference at the end of the summit.
There is still hope that Hungary will change its stance, as Orbán suggested that lifting the veto could be linked to the unlocking of European funds destined for his country. The organization froze some 31.2 billion euros destined for the central European country for violations of the rule of law.
To convince Hungary to change its position, the bloc already unlocked some 10.2 billion euros on Wednesday, but Viktor Orbán demands all of the funds. After that decision, several MEPs denounced Brussels' weakness in the face of what they call the “blackmail” of the Hungarian prime minister.
Divisions over a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
The other central topic of the two-day meeting was the situation in the Gaza Strip. Discussions over the notions of a “humanitarian pause” or “ceasefire” divided the 27.
“It is true that there are different feelings among the members of the European Council about the notion of a humanitarian pause, defended by some, or a humanitarian ceasefire, defended by others,” said Charles Michel, in a press conference at the end of the meeting. .
Broader than a humanitarian pause, a ceasefire implies the cessation of fighting for a defined period of time and would not allow Israel to continue its offensive against Hamas during this time. For its part, a humanitarian pause consists of a temporary suspension of combat with the sole objective of allowing humanitarian aid to pass through without the intention of suspending hostilities in the medium or long term.
Despite these debates, Charles Michel insisted that the heads of state and government of the 27 showed unity regarding the need to intensify access of humanitarian aid for the population of Gaza, and to seek a lasting solution for the region.
“The European Union must be fully involved to try to make its voice heard in this conflict,” Michel concluded.
With EFE, Reuters and AFP
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