Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP
PARIS – The European Union has agreed to include 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in funding for Ukraine in its budget over the next three years. The agreement was reached surprisingly quickly after Hungary, which had long opposed it, changed its position.
These funds will help sustain Kiev's economy and maintain essential services such as healthcare, social security and pensions in 2024.
European Parliament President Roberta Messola welcomed the agreement in a press conference just hours after it was reached. She said unanimous approval from the EU's 27 member states meant keeping the funding within the EU budget, giving it an additional stamp of approval from the European Parliament.
“Ukraine is our priority and this agreement will give us the credibility, legitimacy and predictability we expect,” she said. “Because Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban canceled a similar EU budget summit in December after rejecting funding for Ukraine.
EU leaders arrived in Brussels on Thursday, ready to spend the day taking bottles with Orbán. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kalas expressed displeasure over the standoff with Hungary ahead of the meeting.
“I mean, Victor. [Orbán] “It’s natural to want to be the center of attention whenever we’re here, but it shouldn’t be like this.” “I don’t want to use the word threatening, but I don’t know a better word.”
Poland's new Prime Minister Donald Tusk says there is no Ukraine fatigue in Europe, there is Viktor Orban fatigue.
“I don’t understand,” he said. “I cannot accept Viktor Orbán’s very strange and selfish games.”
After the deal, Metsola admitted it would have been better had there been no conditions attached to Hungary's approval of the funds. Orbán had previously said he would withdraw his opposition if the EU voted annually on aid to Ukraine.
Metsola did not elaborate on what the conditions were. She simply said the EU had left its Ukrainian friends stuck for too long and that today was “a good day for Europe”.
Orban has criticized Western funding for Ukraine following a full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, arguing it prolongs the war. Orbán also said he did not believe Russia posed a security threat to Europe.