Hungary continues to block 500 million euros from the EU fund that helps Ukraine with weapons.
Hungary has been blocking the allocation of funds for months because the Ukrainian NAPC has included the largest Hungarian bank, OTP Bank, in the list of “war sponsors.”
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reminded that those mentioned above 500 million euros do not go directly to Ukraine but to EU states to compensate for the supply of their weapons, so “no one is holding anyone back from supporting Ukraine.”
“Of course, I did not support this because we continue to hold the position that until we receive guarantees from the Anti-Corruption Agency of Ukraine that (Hungarian bank – Ed.) OTP or any Hungarian company will not be included in the list of international sponsors of the war based on trumped-up accusations; we cannot move forward on this issue,” Szijjarto said.
Those above 500 million will be allocated to support Ukraine from the European Peace Fund.
The EU countries are discussing the option of financing military aid for Ukraine with the participation of not all member states if the planned format through the European Peace Fund cannot be agreed upon.
“There are proposals that countries that do not want to participate may not do so. This means that my country and other participating countries will be more burdened. We, Lithuania, are ready for this… It will not be 27 member states, but a smaller group of countries,” explained Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.
In addition, in December, the EU will send a mission to Kyiv to propose security commitments for Ukraine.
“My deputy for security and defense will come to Ukraine with a presentation of proposals that member states are still discussing,” said EU diplomat Josep Borrell.
The EU will send a mission to Kyiv to propose security commitments for Ukraine
The European Union will send a mission to Ukraine in early December to present EU proposals for security commitments for Ukraine.
EU diplomat Josep Borrell stated this after a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.
“You know that European leaders entrusted me with the task at the last European Council to construct security commitments from the EU to Ukraine. We are working on this with the member states. I will send a mission to Ukraine at the beginning of the month to discuss our proposal with the Ukrainians,” Borrell said.
He added that he “would be happy” to visit Kyiv himself if he had the opportunity.
“But in any case, my deputy for security and defense will come to Ukraine to present the proposals that the member states are still discussing,” the European diplomat said, adding that EU leaders will discuss this topic at a meeting in December.
At the summit on October 27, EU leaders instructed Borrell “based on a framework to be approved by the Council” to consult with Ukraine on the EU’s future security commitments and report on their results at the European Council meeting in December.
At the summit in June, EU leaders expressed their readiness to contribute to future security commitments to Ukraine and to consider approaches to such a contribution.
