V. Orban linked the unblocking of all EU funds to Hungary with further aid to Ukraine

The bloc wanted to allocate an additional 50 billion over the next four years. euros to support Kyiv, boosting the bloc’s overall budget, but Hungary’s nationalist leader blocked the plan early Friday at a key summit in Brussels.

“There is an extraordinary situation because other countries want to change the seven-year current budget that I vetoed yesterday,” Orban said in an interview with Hungarian Public Radio on Friday morning.

VIDEO: V. Orban: the final decision will be taken by the Hungarian Parliament

Most EU leaders wanted this week’s summit to show solidarity with Ukraine, nearly 22 months after the Russian invasion began.

However, any decisions must be made unanimously.

VIDEO: V. Orban left the hall, but the decision on Ukraine’s EU membership negotiations took place – how?

Critics have long accused Orbán of holding support for Ukraine hostage in a bid to force Brussels to unblock billions of euros in EU funds frozen in a row over the rule of law.

On Wednesday, the European Commission agreed to unblock 10 billion euros of this money, which some saw as a last-minute concession to Budapest.

However, approximately 21 billion The EUR 100,000 earmarked for Hungary is still not available until Budapest implements certain reforms.

“I have always said that if someone wants to change the budget law, and they want it for several reasons, this is a great opportunity for Hungary to clearly show that it should get what it deserves. Not half, then a quarter, but she must get everything,” V. Orban said.

“That’s why we want to be treated fairly, and now there’s a good chance we’ll be able to do that,” he added.

However, V. Orban was persuaded by fellow EU leaders not to block the decision to start negotiations with Kyiv on joining the bloc.

“Their decisive argument was that Hungary has nothing to lose, as the final word on Ukraine’s membership must be given by national parliaments, of which there are 27, including Hungary’s,” Orban said.

“I didn’t want Hungary to have to make such a bad decision on its conscience […]so I left the hall,” he said.

VIDEO: Historic moment: Charles Michel announces decision on Ukraine

Orban said there would be around 75 cases where his government could stop the process, and vowed to “apply the handbrake” before Hungarians paid any consequences.