2024-01-17 10:31:05
Strasbourg (France) (AFP) – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed on Wednesday that she is “confident” in the chances of reaching an agreement between European Union countries, including Hungary, regarding aid worth 50 billion euros that will be provided to Ukraine over four years. .
Published on: 01/17/2024 – 11:31
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Bletchley Park, central England, on November 2, 2024 © Joe Giddens/Joint Photography/AFP/Archive
“I am certain that it is possible to reach a solution agreed upon by the 27 countries,” von der Leyen told members of the European Parliament during a plenary session in Strasbourg.
The European Union countries failed to agree during a summit held in December on this important aid to Ukraine in its war, after Hungary used its veto power. The countries decided to postpone their decision until an extraordinary summit expected in early February.
On Tuesday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed his country’s readiness to help Kiev, but “outside the joint budget.” He said, “If we want to help Ukraine, and I think we should do that, the aid should not affect the European Union budget.”
He added that Hungary was prepared to “bear its share of the burden” on its own budget in proportion to its gross domestic product, a proposal that Brussels must “take or not.”
Hungary is the only country in the European Union that still maintains close relations with Moscow since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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