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On Friday Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, blocked €50bn earmarked for providing budget support to Ukraine following the leaders’ decision on Thursday evening to kick off accession negotiations.
When its head dug its heels against funding its Ukrainian compatriots for the next 4 years, a Brussels crunch summit only lasted through a day of haggling with this Hungarian strong man.
Orbán appealed to lift all the remaining EU blocked funding for his country and only then talk about easing sanctions against Ukraine.
Orban was quoted saying, “…This is a good occasion for Hungary to tell everyone that it is time to give it what it deserves, not half, then a quarter, but the whole thing,” in his interview with Hungarian state radio.
Therefore we want to be treated fairly, and now it is very likely that we will be able to demand this,” he also said.
The proceedings of the summit soured when representatives, except for Hungary decided to initiate discussions on the possibility of admission of Ukraine into the club. The second day of the G8 summit was meant to be centered around Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and searching for joint position of EU leaders.
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Some EU countries support the call for a Gaza truce whiles other ally themselves with Isreal and the US, saying the truce may limit Israel action against hamass. The 26 other EU leaders will meet again early next year so that they can agree on Hungary’s blocking of grants and loans to Ukraine.
Shortly after Kyiv and its allies celebrated the opening of accessions talks, the Hungarian nationalist (with close ties to Russia), provided an obstacle. Kyiv seeks to rebut storylines about Western fading support as American assurance falters.
Finally, Orban exited the negotiation table leaving other EU leaders to forge the consensus and decide on all issues of contention. Orban even criticised the decision through social media, albeit in a non-existent way. This was a significant feat that was applauded by other EU leaders who felt that commencing accession talks with Moldova was a great milestone.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelinsky said “it inspires, motivates and encourages”. It is a historic decision by the white house. Nevertheless, the willingness to start membership negotiations does not translate into an instant entrance of Ukraine into the EU. It involves EU member states arriving at consensus in establishing protocols, which provide opportunity for Orban to stalemate it again.
(“This story remains unedited by News360Express staff and is published from a syndicated feed.”)