Hungary's PM on €50bn deal for Ukraine: I went to the wall for my country
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said he "went to the wall" for his country before agreeing to approve a €50 billion macro-financial assistance package for Ukraine at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, 1 February.
Source: Reuters, citing a statement from Orbán, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The Hungarian prime minister claimed that he had managed to avert the risk of Budapest-bound funds from the bloc’s joint budget being diverted.
"If this deal had not been reached and Hungary had continued to use its right of veto, 26 member states would have agreed to send the money to Ukraine... and would have taken away the funds earmarked for Hungary and sent them to Ukraine as well – what good is that?," Orbán noted.
"We are not sending weapons (to Ukraine); we get our money from Brussels, and we will contribute to civilian financing of Ukraine," the Hungarian prime minister added.
Background:
- On Thursday, EU leaders overcame Hungary's long-standing resistance and reached an agreement on a €50 billion macro-financial assistance programme for Ukraine. The programme will last for four years.
- The summit's conclusions state that Ukraine will be able to receive funds if it meets a number of preconditions. It also mentions that EU leaders will hold annual debates on the programme, and in two years, they may propose to the European Commission a review of the entire multi-year financial framework.
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