EU-member Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, put his foot down and vetoed the deal that would have provided Ukraine 50-B euros or $54-M.
Orban’s move delayed the deal until January 2024.
The Hungarian prime minister took to X and shared the news, saying that he had vetoed the deal.
In his post, Orban said quote 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 European Council after proper preparation.
The multi annual financial framework or MFF is EU’s long-term budget.
The blocking of aid for Ukraine was announced by Orban shortly after other EU leaders decided to open membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova, as well as to grand candidate status to Georgia.
Meanwhile, EU Chief Charles Michel said leaders would return to the issue in early 2024, saying that he does not want to go too much into the details of the issue, as he wants to work with colleagues in the days to come.
‘”I don’t want to go too much into the details because I want to work with colleagues in the days to come, in the weeks to come to prepare a summit that will take place next year, early next year,” according to Charles Michel, EU Council President.
The proposed plan by the European Commission would amend the joint EU budget.
Brussels wanted to allocate the said $54-B for Kyiv in spending strenched over 4 years.
But Hungary opposed the plan, arguing that any aid should be for a shorter term and pending renewal after review.
Hungary also refused to fund it through the joint budget.
Earlier, Orban reiterated his government’s stance to having eu membership talks with Ukraine, but after the Hungarian prime minister abstained on the vote, Michel announced that negotiations have been approved after 8 hours of debates.
But Orban criticized the decision, saying that it was completely senseless, irrational, and incorrect and that Hungary was not part of it.
Hungary does not believe that Ukraine has made sufficient progress in implementing the reforms demanded by the EU in order to join the bloc.
Although Hungary has long opposed the EU membership for Ukraine but did not veto that move.
Reports emerged that Orban left the negotiating room for a while, while the other 26 EU leaders went ahead with the vote.
