Hungary on Monday, the 29th of January, said it was ready to compromise on European Union (EU) aid to Ukraine, potentially allowing funding from the bloc’s budget ahead of an emergency summit on Thursday, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban shifting his position considering his previous criticism of EU aid to Ukraine and his close ties with Russia, reports Reuters.
Hungary previously blocked a review of the EU budget to provide aid to Ukraine, now saying it is willing to let the EU budget be used for a proposed 50 billion euro aid package.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s political aide Balazs Orban has confirmed this position, stating on X that Budapest had sent a proposal to Brussels suggesting
the use of the EU budget and issuing common EU debt to financde it if other objections were added.
The Financial Times has reported on Sunday that the EU could cause problems for the Hungarian economy if it delays aid to Ukraine at an upcoming summit.
Janos Boka, Hungary’s EU affairs minister, has said on X that the document drafted by Brussels confirmed the Hungarian government’s long-standing claim that EU funds are being used as a tool for political influence.
The document states that if Hungary rejects the aid package, EU leaders will propose an alternative that would restrict Budapest’s access to EU funds.
The EU had suspended a significant part of the funds intended for Hungary out of concern for democratic checks and balances in the country, according to Reuters. While some funds have been unblocked, around 20 billion euros remain frozen.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto is due to meet his Ukrainian counterpart on Monday to try to reach an agreement on the financial assistance package.
Also read: On the eve of EU summit, EC unlocks 10.2 billion euros for Hungary
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