Hungary Won’t Approve New EU Money for Ukraine

July 1, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—Hungary will oppose the European Commission’s plans to give Ukraine €50 billion in financial aid until Kyiv explains what it did with the last €70 billion, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on June 30. Budapest and Brussels have repeatedly clashed over the supply of cash and arms to Ukraine.

According to the latest figures from Brussels, the EU has given Kyiv €72 billion ($79 billion) in economic, military, and humanitarian aid since Russia’s military operation in Ukraine began in February 2022. Despite this unprecedented outflow draining its coffers, the European Commission announced earlier this month that it would offer Kyiv an additional €50 billion in loans and grants.

“One thing is clear: We Hungarians are unable to accept the elimination of the reduction of household energy bills, we will not give any more money to raise the bureaucrats’ salaries, we will not give Ukraine any more money until they tell us what has happened to the €70 billion we gave them earlier...”

Orbán told Kossuth Radio’s “Good Morning Hungary” broadcast on June 30.

Orbán as well as other Hungarian politicians have repeatedly over the past few days reiterated their view that funding Ukraine’s war machine makes no sense since there cannot be a solution on the battlefield, instead diplomatic talks are necessary to end this war. Hungary has therefore vetoed another planned EU tranche of 500 million euro in military aid to Kyiv.