As the European Union leaders gather in Brussels for their quarterly summit with the aim of securing new financial and political support for Ukraine, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary is causing a delay.
Mr. Orban, who has previously delayed E.U. sanctions against Russia and is considered President Vladimir V. Putin’s closest ally in the bloc, stated on Thursday that Ukraine was not prepared to begin negotiating membership in the alliance. He also argued that the proposed 50 billion euros, approximately $52 billion, in aid for Ukraine should only be provided after Europe-wide elections planned for the summer.
The two-day E.U. summit is taking place at a pivotal moment for Ukraine: Its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, recently had difficult meetings in Washington, where he failed to secure much-needed funding for his war effort due to political divisions in Congress. The E.U. assistance would be a significant boost, and positive news on at least commencing formal negotiations on Ukraine’s membership prospects could improve the strained atmosphere, even as Mr. Putin reiterated that Russia’s objectives in the war had not changed.
As Mr. Orban arrived in Brussels for the summit, he stated: “Enlargement is not a theoretical issue; enlargement is a merit-based, legally detailed process, which has preconditions.” He claimed Ukraine had not met the formal criteria to start talks about membership.
In a post on social media, he expressed further disagreement with the argument that Ukraine’s membership in the bloc was not in the “best interests” of Hungary or the European Union.
Can one E.U. country hold up membership talks for Ukraine?
The accession process for countries to join the European Union requires unanimous approval from all member states, so Mr. Orban’s veto could indeed postpone any decision about Ukraine, which is currently awaiting approval to formally start negotiations about joining the bloc.
Other E.U. leaders arriving in Brussels on Thursday stated that they aimed to continue pushing Hungary to reach a compromise.
“We have to reach some sort of agreement — we don’t have time to procrastinate or push it to the future,” said Prime Minister Kaja Kallas of Estonia, adding that Ukraine’s accession talks would take years anyway and that it would be a bad signal to postpone them.
Ukraine has been assured a fair opportunity, although not an expedited one, to join the bloc. Ukraine’s government views membership as a crucial guarantee of a prosperous and stable future, and one that would protect it from Russia’s aggression, even though the European Union is not a defense alliance like NATO.
Can the European Union still provide more aid to Ukraine if Hungary disagrees?
Yes. The bloc has previously used trusts to raise funds for causes that did not have the support of all members, although this is a politically frustrating process that many leaders will attempt to avoid.
“We cannot accept any blackmailing; we have to find a decision together,” said Prime Minister Petteri Orpo of Finland on Thursday.
“What we decide or what we don’t decide is a clear signal to Moscow, to Kyiv, to Washington, to Beijing,” Mr. Orpo added.