On a day when the European Union leaders were celebrating the ‘historic’ approval of Ukrainian ascension talks, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made sure to throw a wrench in their plans by exercising his veto and blocking a major European Union aid package for Kiev. This move was followed by a warning from Orbán that he ‘could still halt’ Kiev’s accession to the bloc after membership talks were approved by the EU.
The decision came shortly after the European Union’s other leaders agreed to start negotiations with Ukraine, effectively bypassing Orbán’s grievances by negotiating his departure from the room during the vote. This move was met with resistance from Orbán, who has close ties to Russia, and led to the revamp of the bloc’s budget to channel 50 billion euros ($55 billion) to Ukraine and provide more cash for other EU priorities such as managing migration. The Kremlin praised Orbán’s stance, which spokesman Dmitry Peskov said impressed Moscow, while criticizing the EU, saying the decision to open membership talks was a politicized one that could destabilize the bloc. However, the Hungarian resistance to Ukraine is more than what it seems, with the MSM avoiding the real issue of the vast Hungarian minority in Ukraine being deprived of rights, or the Hungarian bank added to the list of sanctions, and attributing it to Orbán’s ‘close Putin ties’ or domestic political gains.
Orbán made it clear that his blocking of the aid package to Ukraine was to ensure Hungary receives the funds it is entitled to from the EU budget, stating that Hungary should not receive just half or one-fourth of the funds. He also cautioned that Hungary could still block the Ukrainian EU talks at any time. While membership is still many years away, the decision at the Brussels summit took Ukraine a step closer to its goal, and the EU’s failure to agree on the 50 billion-euro financial aid package to Ukraine has been a tough blow to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Orbán had warned before the summit that forcing a decision on the Ukraine issues could destroy EU unity. However, he decided not to use his veto because the 26 other nations were arguing so strongly in favor, and under EU rules, an abstention does not prevent a decision from being adopted. An EU official confirmed that Orbán was ‘momentarily absent from the room in a pre-agreed and constructive manner’ when the decision was made. He also made it clear that Hungary’s perspective is clear: Ukraine is not ready for the EU to begin negotiations on its membership.
In conclusion, the news of Orbán’s veto and warning has once again highlighted the complexities and challenges that arise in the decision-making processes within the European Union. With tensions between the EU and Russia further exacerbated by these developments, and the future of Ukrainian accession talks hanging in the balance, it is clear that Orbán’s actions have far-reaching implications for both the EU and Ukraine.
