2023-12-11 16:28:00
War in Ukraine: the Russian presidential election will also take place in the occupied Ukrainian territories
“We have done our part of the job. We expect the European Union to do its part!”, he insisted.
Budapest still refuses to allow the 27 to open negotiations with a view to Ukraine joining, judging that this country at war with Russia is not ready. His Prime Minister Viktor Orban is calling for a “strategic debate” before any decision when the majority of European countries and the European Commission judge that it has already taken place.
kyiv is also waiting for the EU to continue its support for its war effort, and hopes for the release of aid of 50 billion euros in the form of donations and loans, as well as military aid of 5 billion euros. ‘euros.
But here again, Hungary persists in its refusal, despite very strong pressure from its partners.
“We must make strategic decisions and commit ourselves to a victory for Ukraine. If we do not do this, the price will be incredibly high,” said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.
“Deplorable”
“I hope that the unity of the European Union will not be broken, because now is not the time to weaken our support for Ukraine,” declared the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell.
“Hungary’s position has turned out to be truly deplorable,” said Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonene, in a more direct style.
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The opposition displayed by Hungary worries and perplexes several European countries who are wondering about its underlying motivations.
Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, the institution which brings together the member states of the EU, the French president Emmanuel Macron, the head of the Spanish government Pedro Sanchez, whose country holds the biannual presidency of the EU, have all tried to convince Viktor Orban of the need to support Ukraine and prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from winning his “war of aggression”.
And on Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on his European partners to send a “message” of unity to Vladimir Putin on support for Ukraine.
In vain for the moment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Viktor Orban in Buenos Aires this weekend, on the sidelines of the inauguration of new Argentine President Javier Milei.
On Monday, in Brussels, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto denounced “extraordinary pressure exerted at the political and media levels” to push Hungary to accept the opening of Ukraine’s EU membership negotiations. “This is unacceptable!”, he insisted, repeating that kyiv did not meet the necessary conditions in his eyes.
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Several European countries still want to believe the bluff on the part of Budapest which expects from its partners the payment of nearly 22 billion euros frozen due to breaches of the rule of law.
Ten billion euros could be released this week, just before the start of the European summit on Thursday.
kyiv also adopted a law protecting the rights of minorities in Ukraine, including the Hungarian minority, which Budapest demanded before any agreement on the opening of accession negotiations, Mr. Kuleba underlined on Monday.
However, it is not certain that this will be enough to convince Viktor Orban, who some fear will go all the way.
“The only way I read the Hungarian position, and not only on Ukraine, is that it is against Europe and everything that Europe means,” said Lithuanian Minister Gabrielius, very bitterly. Landsbergis.
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