Hungary vetoes aid for Ukraine
Hungary vetoed a 500-million-euro defence aid package intended for Ukraine, which was to be provided by EU Member States. The Ukranian leadership is outraged, though the Hungarian government has expressed its position on aids several months earlier.
According to Polish press reports, Hungary has blocked the seventh instalment of EU financial for arms purchases by Ukraine. The news was spotted by index.hu on the Polish portal RMF FM, which obtained the information from a high-ranking EU diplomat. The aid, worth half a billion euros, is part of the European Peace Facility. The facility has been used by EU member states to finance weapons and protective equipment for Ukraine since the start of the conflict. EU diplomats are of the opinion that the veto only serves Russia’s interests. However, the EU is reportedly considering alternative measures to bypass Hungary’s veto and proceed with the package.
This is not the first time
According to press information, this is not the first time that the Hungarian government has sought to interfere in EU decisions. Most recently, a few days ago, it was revealed that Hungary wanted to remove nine Russian oligarchs from the EU sanctions list.
According to Szabad Európa, the government wants to cross among others Alisher Usmanov, Pyotr Aven, and Viktor Rashnikov off the list. The government had already tried to remove these three names from the sanctions list in September, but without success.
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The Ukrainian leadership is outraged
Ukrainian military expert Mykula Siruk said in an interview with the Czech Aktualne that they are very upset with Hungary. They are furious that Hungary has blocked the EU financial aid to Ukraine. The report of the Czech newspaper was also spotted by index.hu.
However, as he explained, there was already a lot of resentment towards the Hungarian leadership for another reason, which had to do with the issue of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine. From time to time, disputes between the Hungarian and Ukrainian governments over the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine recur. Most recently, the removal of Hungarian national symbols in some Transcarpathian cities has led to significant press coverage in Hungary.
Yet, according to the Ukrainian expert, no one is taking away the rights of Hungarians living in Transcarpathia. “Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán says he is concerned about the rights of the Hungarian minority living in Ukrainian Transcarpathia. But no one is taking away the rights of Hungarians. They are only being asked to learn Ukrainian, like Hungarians in Croatia learn Croatian or Hungarians in Slovakia learn Slovakian. There is now a lot of anger and resentment in Ukraine towards Hungary,” he explained.
For more information on what exactly happened in Transcarpathia and how the Hungarian foreign ministry state secretary reacted to the incidents concerning the Hungarian minority, see HERE.
The Hungarian leadership’s view on aid
Regarding Ukrainian aid, the Hungarian Prime Minister has already expressed his position earlier. On the one hand, the government was not in favour of supporting Ukraine with arms even at the beginning of the war. In their opinion, humanitarian aid should be provided instead of weapons.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister also has a particular view on the joint loans of EU Member States. He does not support this either because, although he believes that the Ukrainian people must receive help, Hungary is not willing to put the interests of others before its own.
Read alsoHungary vetoes aid for Ukraine
Source: index.hu, rmf24.pl, szabadeuropa.hu, aktualne.cz