Hungary's veto stalls key EU aid for Ukraine, frustration mounts

On Monday at 8 AM in Brussels, a meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union took place. Among them was Dmytro Kuleba, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. One of the diplomats noted that Kuleba gave a "very moving" speech. He presented a picture of a young boy who lost his father in a Russian attack on a shopping center in Kharkiv last weekend. Kuleba appealed to the attendees for swift military support for Ukraine.

During the session, ministers focused on funding the European Peace Facility (EPF) with 5 billion euros (CAD 7.1 billion). Currently, Hungary is blocking this, although, as the EU source highlights, negotiations on other technical matters have not yet been concluded. The EPF is a mechanism that allows member states to seek reimbursement for money spent on purchasing equipment for Ukraine. Funds acquired from taking profits from frozen assets of the Russian Central Bank are also set to go to the EPF.

Frustration is at least growing, as the EU currently has support amounting to 5 billion euros (CAD 7.1 billion), and soon also extraordinary profits from frozen (Russian) assets, which, in the case of a lack of agreement, may not be utilized appropriately claims an EU source from PAP. Member states have already agreed to use the profits from frozen Russian assets in the EU, but Hungary is now blocking their transfer to Kyiv under the EPF.

Hadja Lahbib, the minister currently presiding in Belgium in the EU Council, criticized Budapest's veto. She expressed her dissatisfaction, saying: - We cannot accept that one country, which signed off on this amount at the EU summit a few months ago, is now blocking this crucial aid for Ukraine.

Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, noted, "41% of resolutions by (the) EU on Ukraine have been blocked by Hungary." He appealed for the Union to find a way around this problem.