The EU is preparing for a summit on Ukraine talks as Hungary stands firm

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(1/3)Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speak as they attend the swearing-in ceremony of Argentina’s President-elect Javier Milei at the National Congress, in Buenos Aires, Argentina December 10, 2023. REUTERS/Matias Baglietto Obtain Licensed Rights

  • EU leaders this week discuss Ukraine’s bid
  • Ukraine is also expected to receive new military aid

BRUSSELS, Dec 11 (Reuters) – Hungary said on Monday it would not give in to pressure from other European states to give the green light for talks with Ukraine, setting the stage for an announcement at a summit of the EU this week.

Ukraine’s foreign minister said it would be “disastrous” for his country and the EU if the meeting on December 14-15 did not go ahead for membership talks and more financial and military aid for Kyiv defends itself from Russian attacks.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is proud of his relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, threatened to veto aid and further talks.

Other EU states, including wealthy Germany, said they were resuming negotiations with Kyiv over the long process of joining the bloc, but Budapest dug in its heels.

“Most European politicians want to make important decisions that are completely unprepared and have no strategic plan for the future of Europe,” wrote Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Facebook. before the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels will help prepare the summit.

“We do not give in to any pressure … no matter where it comes from, from, and what kind of slander or promise.”

Hungary is not at odds with its EU partners for the first time. It eased sanctions against Russia and last December vetoed an agreement to give Ukraine 18 billion ($19.4 billion) in 2023.

Budapest finally approved that aid after days of negotiations over EU aid to Hungary, which has been suspended over concerns of democratic backsliding under Orban.

“I want to believe that Europeans will be united … and today we will send clear messages to our partner Hungary to make it possible,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Outside of France Catherine Colonna.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis described it as a “conflict of ideologies, between those who want a strong Europe and those who don’t want the EU.”

‘BLOOD RESULTS’

According to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who participated in the meeting of foreign ministers of the EU, the failure at the meeting this week to agree on open dialogue will show the the EU’s inability to follow through on historical commitments.

“I can’t imagine, I don’t even want to talk about the bad consequences that will happen if the (European) Council can’t take this decision,” he said, saying “the mother of all decisions”.

Securing new financial aid from Europe is crucial, and doubts are growing over the future of US support for Kyiv as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy heads to talks in Washington.

All these decisions – as well as another one in what will be the 12th EU sanctions against Russia since Moscow’s February 2022 all-out attack – require the unanimous support of all 27 countries a block.

As the EU tries again to win Orban’s support for Ukraine, the European Commission is expected to open Budapest’s access to 10 billion billion this week.

Diplomats said joint efforts by Georgia and Bosnia to boost their bid to join the EU – backed by Orban – would collapse if Hungary approved talks with Ukraine, but some said it could just make an agreement.

Those hoping to intimidate Orban described a compromise that could lead to the start of negotiations with Ukraine in March if the final conditions are met. Others say Orban may not be able to be persuaded.

Reporting by Andrew Gray, Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels, Krisztina Than in Budapest, Bart Meijer; Written by Ingrid Melander and Gabriela Baczynska, Edited by Nick Zieminski and Timothy Heritage

Our Terms: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Andrew is a senior correspondent for European security and diplomacy, based in Brussels. He covers NATO and European Union policy. A journalist for nearly 30 years, he previously lived in Britain, Germany, Geneva, the Balkans, West Africa and Washington, where he reported on the Pentagon. He covered the Iraq war in 2003 and contributed an article to a Reuters book on the conflict. He also worked at Politico Europe as a senior editor and podcast host, was the lead editor for a fellowship program for journalists from the Balkans, and contributed to the BBC’s From Our Own Correspondent radio show.

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