BRUSSELS: A senior EU official on Tuesday said that negotiations within the European Union (EU) to secure additional aid for Ukraine later this week remain challenging, even though Hungary has indicated its willingness to consider a compromise.
EU leaders are set to convene on Thursday to seek agreement on extending €50 billion ($54 billion) in aid to Ukraine through 2027. The discussions also include replenishing a military fund to support Kyiv in its ongoing battle against Russia’s almost two-year-old full-scale invasion.
Hungary, known for its friendly ties with Russia, has previously blocked the aid package and, in alignment with EU paymaster Germany, has voiced opposition to augmenting the military fund.
“We are not there yet,” stated the EU official on condition of anonymity, referring to the preparations for Thursday’s summit in Brussels involving the leaders of the EU’s 27-member states.
Despite mounting pressure on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to reach an agreement, the official mentioned that Budapest’s conditions for lifting its veto on financial assistance to Kyiv were not acceptable to other EU countries.
Moreover, the official noted that Hungary’s EU counterparts were unwilling to commit to an annual review of support for Kyiv, as it would grant Orban a veto in each instance.
