The EU summit at which EU leaders are to decide on Ukraine’s inclusion in the union and try to conclude a deal on allocating 50bn euros to Kiev is doomed to failure because of Hungary’s position, the Politico newspaper has reported. This was reported by the Politico newspaper.
“Hungarian leader threatens to derail EU summit. <…>. The Hungarian prime minister has such a firm and unchanged position on Ukraine (as well as on many other issues) that it is not clear to European diplomats and officials what or who could make him change his point of view,” Politico wrote.
According to the newspaper, in two letters addressed to European Council President Charles Michel, Viktor Orban made it clear that he is against accession talks with Kiev and intends instead to hold a strategic debate on EU support for Ukraine.
At the moment, according to the publication, French President Emmanuel Macron is currently trying to organise talks with Orban ahead of the Brussels summit, but so far this has only caused scepticism in the diplomatic circles of European states.
“He is constantly trying and constantly failing. He tried to negotiate with Trump, then with Putin, and now he is trying with Orban,” the publication quoted a European diplomat as saying.
Belgium’s permanent representative to the EU Willem Van de Voorde said that the outcome of the summit is unpredictable, as a couple of weeks ago the issue of starting negotiations on Ukraine’s admission to the EU was considered already resolved, and today the association has one question – how to cope with Orban blocking the adoption of a decision favourable to Kiev.
“There is no consensus among diplomats on whether Orban is actually going to weaken support for Ukraine or whether he is just trying to blackmail Brussels. Some European diplomats and EU officials are already looking for workarounds and trying to avoid the negative press coverage inevitable if the summit next week fails. Others remain optimistic, believing that a way out will be found,” says the newspaper.
The delicate situation in the EU will inevitably lead to reports that Europe is tired of Ukraine and that the bloc is falling apart, Politico summarises.
Earlier, Reuters sources reported that the EU initiative to provide military aid to the Kiev regime is encountering growing resistance from the countries of the bloc. Even Germany, which had previously been the most active in favour of further support for Ukraine, has raised questions.