European Union leaders postpone €50 billion in aid to Ukraine until January due to Orbán’s veto

The heads of State and Government of the European Union They postponed negotiations on the new economic aid package until January 2024. Ukraine of 50 billion, which remains blocked by the veto exercised by the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán.

The bloc’s leaders concluded the first day of their summit in Brussels around 2:30 am on Friday, without having yet managed to convince the Hungarian ultranationalists and will not resume the debate tomorrow on the budget review that includes aid to Kyivseveral community sources confirmed to EFE.

LOOK HERE: The report that reveals that Russia lost 87% of the military it had before starting the war in Ukraine

The other twenty-six Member States support the latest document that reached the negotiating table, but Orbán insisted on his refusal to contribute more money to European accounts to create a new financial assistance program for Ukraine by 2027, the sources add.

“Twenty-six leaders agree on all components“, later confirmed in statements to the media by the president of European Council, Carlos Michelwhich specified that a country, Swedenyou should consult your Parliament and others, with reference to Hungary Although he did not mention his name, he did not support the document.

“I want to work with colleagues in the coming days and weeks to prepare for a summit that will take place early next year.”, the former Belgian Prime Minister later expressed.

Budapesttherefore, it maintains the new program with which the European Union It wants to make it easier for Ukraine to pay for urgent needs, such as renewing infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks, and keep its public services running.

In the weeks and days leading up to the summit, there was speculation that the rest of the leaders would bypass the Hungarian veto through an intergovernmental agreement that would isolate Hungary, but the preferred option remains to include the Kiev aid package in the budget. .from the EU.

“I’m quite confident that we can take the definitive step at the beginning of next year, I can’t guarantee it but I’m quite optimistic“, declared the Prime Minister Netherlands, Mark Ruth.

The document that has the support of the other capitals includes a new aid package for Ukraine of 50 billion euros until 2027, of which 17 billion euros will be direct non-refundable aid and the other 33 billion will come in the form of credits. , that Brussels would capture the debt markets.

MORE INFORMATION: Putin calls the situation in the Gaza Strip a “catastrophe” and denies any similarity with Ukraine

In addition, it includes the reinforcement of migration and border management programs with 9.6 billion, as well as allocations for assistance to Syrian refugees in Türkiye, Jordan, Lebanonas well as for Balkans and the countries of southern Mediterranean.

Finally, it leaves the money foreseen for the platform to invest in the development of clean technologies at 1,500 million, although this entire envelope will be used to reinforce the European Defense Fund and includes 2,000 million for the Flexibility Instrument and 1,500 million for the Solidarity Reserve and Emergency Aid (SEAR).

If approved, Member States would have to make additional contributions to European accounts worth €21 billion and another €10.6 billion would be reallocated from other parts of the budget to pay for these new priorities.

Source: Elcomercio

jack

I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.