As of: February 2, 2024, 5:04 a.m
By: Florian Naumann, Stephanie Munk, Lisa Mahnke
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Press
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Orbán has withdrawn his veto: the 50 billion package for Ukraine will be approved at the special EU summit.
Scholz reacted with relief.
Orbán
gives up
resistance
: EU countries agree on Ukraine aid package at special summit
Special EU summit
in
Brussels
: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán proposed a compromise
Orban
under
criticism
: Experts accuse Hungary of veto policy in the European Union
All decisions and developments surrounding the special EU summit in our news developer.
Update from February 1st, 9:05 p.m.:
The breakthrough at the EU special summit is also met with relief in the USA: US President Joe Biden praised the EU's “unwavering support” for Ukraine, said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby in front of journalists.
The “significant financial aid package” will greatly help Ukraine in the “fight against Russian aggression.”
Biden called Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to applaud the “historic decision.”
EU summit agrees: Orbán received “no gift” – Scholz hoped in vain
Update from February 1st, 8:00 p.m.:
Viktor Orbán's sudden approval of the EU's Ukraine aid package aroused some suspicion.
However, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the Hungarian right-wing populist had received “no gift”.
Orbán himself claimed that there were plans to transfer 20 billion euros in EU funds for Hungary that had been frozen due to rule of law violations to Ukraine.
No other summit participants confirmed this.
Before the summit, many countries expressed frustration and annoyance with Orban's veto policy.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said: “We are not tired of Ukraine, we are tired of Orban.” Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo emphasized: “No one is allowed to blackmail 26 other countries.”
Despite the agreement, the Kurz summit was not a complete success for Germany's government.
Chancellor Scholz also urged the partners at the summit to provide more arms aid to Ukraine.
Everyone needs to “do more,” he said.
Germany has pledged a good seven billion euros to Kiev this year and, according to the Chancellor, is the only one at the top in Europe.
He did not receive any concrete commitments from other countries at the summit.
Update from February 1st, 5:12 p.m.:
Olaf Scholz was relieved after the EU agreement with Hungary on economic aid for Ukraine.
“That was a very successful summit,” Scholz said at a press conference afterwards.
The decision is a “good message for the European Union”, a “good message for Ukraine” and also a good message for him personally.
It was the shortest EU summit in a long time, Scholz continued.
“That is already a success story.”
Quick agreement in a small circle: Scholz played this role in the Ukraine deal with Orbán
Update from February 1st, 3:28 p.m.:
There are details of how the surprisingly quick agreement with Orbán came about at the EU special summit on Ukraine: The basis for the compromise found was established shortly before the official start of the summit in a conversation between Orbán and a small group of the most powerful Heads of state and government.
There were Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel.
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Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary, during a round table at an EU summit.
Orban has given up his block on EU plans for new aid to Ukraine.
© Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP/dpa
Scholz announced in a press statement at the EU summit that there had been a “clear discussion” about the fact that it was “necessary for us to make a 27 resolution and that was convincing.” Now everyone must be able to rely on “that the rules are followed.”
Great pressure had already been put on Orbán before the summit.
There was an analysis by EU officials pointing out that if the summit failed because of Orbán, a stop to all EU payments to Hungary could be discussed.
After the summit, the Hungarian head of government spoke of “guarantees” for his country.
Hungary was concerned that EU funds awarded to it but currently frozen would ultimately flow to Ukraine, Orban said in an online video.
However, a “control mechanism” had been negotiated, it said.
“We have received a guarantee that Hungary’s money will not end up in Ukraine.”
EU countries make small concession to Orbán on aid to Ukraine
Update from February 1st, 12:55 p.m.:
There was no extra sausage for Orbán, who wanted to vote on aid to Ukraine every year, at the EU summit - but there was a tiny concession: According to initial EU information, the other 26 countries conceded The possibility of discussing aid to Ukraine again at senior level after two years.
However, possible changes to the aid package would have to be decided unanimously.
So it is not enough for Hungary alone to think that a new agreement is necessary.
In return for Orbán's approval, the other EU states also agreed to speak at top level once a year about the implementation of the aid program for Ukraine
Orbán agrees to EU aid package – first reactions from Ukraine
Update from February 1st, 12.30 p.m.:
There are initial reactions from Ukraine to the agreement at the EU special summit on a new Ukraine aid package: Ukrainian head of state Zelenskyj said that the decision shows the “strong unity of the EU”.
The commitment will strengthen the economic and financial stability of his country.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal also thanked the EU for the new financial aid amounting to 50 billion euros.
“EU member states have once again demonstrated their solidarity and unity with the Ukrainian people in resisting the war,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The 50 billion euros by the end of 2027 are an “important contribution to our common victory”.
Update from February 1st, 11:57 a.m.:
It is still unclear whether the EU made concessions to Orbán for his approval of the Ukraine package.
According to several diplomats, this was not the case, reports the dpa news agency.
There was initially no information on the subject from the Hungarian side.
Orbán gives up resistance – EU countries agree on Ukraine aid package at special summit
Update from February 1st, 11:38 a.m.:
Viktor Orbán has given up his blockade of the EU plans for new aid to Ukraine.
All 27 heads of state and government had agreed to the planned support package worth 50 billion euros, said EU Council President Charles Michel at the special EU summit in Brussels.
The breakthrough came after a small meeting with Orbán, which was also attended by Chancellor Scholz.
EU special summit for Ukraine: “Orbán a threat to our security”
Update from February 1st, 11:02 a.m.:
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accuses Viktor Orbán of threatening the security of the EU by blocking aid to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian question is an existential question, said Tusk on the sidelines of the special summit.
“And today this position of Viktor Orbán is a threat to our security.”
There is no problem in Brussels with Ukraine fatigue, but rather with Orbán fatigue.
Tusk continued that he could not accept this very strange and very selfish game from Orban
Tusk was open about possible consequences for Hungary - for example a withdrawal of voting rights.
“I think we need to be more optimistic when it comes to our power and our arguments.” It is up to Orbán “to decide whether Hungary is part of our community or not.”
Barley sees the end of the EU’s patience with Orbán – “That’s not how it works”
Update from February 1st, 10:33 a.m.:
EU MP Katarina Barley (SPD) sharply criticized the behavior of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán: “This is a situation that has never happened before in the European Union, that a government is acting like this isolated, as he is doing now,” she said on the “ Frühstart ” program on the RTL/Ntv news channel.
Orbán has been trying to blackmail the EU for many years, and in some places he has even succeeded.
This has to end now.
It is important that Orbán gives in when it comes to Ukraine aid without being allowed to make new special requests.
Regarding the compromise proposal from Hungary to approve the Ukraine funds for only one year instead of four years, Barley said, “that is a typical Orbán”.
The Hungarian Prime Minister wants to ensure that he can impose conditions on the EU for its approval every year.
“It just doesn’t work that way.” Everyone’s patience is running out.
No extra sausages for Orbán: Scholz presents a timetable for the EU summit on Ukraine
Update from February 1st, 10:05 a.m.:
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) made a clear announcement at the start of the EU summit: An exception for the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is ruled out.
When voting on the economic aid for Ukraine blocked by Hungary, “we should not try to create any constructions,” said Scholz in Brussels.
It’s about “making a decision on 27,” he said.
“My conversations with many have shown that exactly this will exists,” he added.
The other 26 countries are still hoping that Orban, who maintains contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin, will give in.
Update from February 1st, 9:48 a.m.:
Farmers are also mobilizing at the EU's special summit to demonstrate for their concerns: Farmers are blocking several streets in Brussels with their tractors, around a thousand tractors and other agricultural machinery are said to be on the move in the Belgian capital .
The police said.
Most of the protesting farmers come from Belgium.
In Germany, too, farmers have been protesting for several weeks against the agricultural policy of the traffic light coalition and against EU requirements.
EU special summit: Hungarian Prime Minister Orban proposes a compromise on aid to Ukraine
Brussels – The last attempt to reach an agreement on further aid deliveries to Ukraine will begin at a special EU summit this Thursday (February 1st).
The only thing missing for the package with financial support commitments amounting to 50 billion euros for the period until the end of 2027 is the support of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
They actually wanted to decide on the aid at a regular EU summit in December 2023, but Orban vetoed it and thus prevented the necessary unanimous decision.
Before the special EU summit, Orban said in an interview with France's
Le Point
: "Nothing has changed." Hungary is still of the opinion that there is no military solution to the conflict and that the European aid package would not fit this view .
“We believe the only solution is diplomatic.
It implies negotiations for a ceasefire and peace,” said the Hungarian Prime Minister.
Orban's compromise meets with criticism: EU threatens consequences before special summit
Instead, Orban proposed a compromise on Saturday: If everyone decided unanimously every year whether they wanted to continue sending money or not, the prime minister would not veto it.
This means that the Hungarian Prime Minister could keep the option of voting against further aid again next year.
However, other member states such as Germany reject this, among other things because they want to guarantee Ukraine long-term support.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) recently criticized the fact that some EU member states had budgeted less money for military aid deliveries in the Ukraine war.
It endangers Kiev's endurance in the Ukraine war, said Scholz.
EU diplomats accused Orban of trying to use his veto policy to free frozen EU funds for Hungary.
At the same time, the Financial Times
reported
on the EU's plans to impose sanctions against Hungary in the event of another veto.
It would not be the only step in this direction.
According to the
German Press Agency,
the other 26 EU states want to negotiate without Hungary in this case.
Accordingly, a debate about the withdrawal of Hungary's right to vote in EU decisions is also likely.
The necessary Article 7 procedure for suspected rule of law deficits has been running for years, but without much emphasis.
EU ammunition plan fails even before the special summit on Ukraine aid
Shortly before the special EU summit, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced at a meeting of defense ministers in Brussels that the EU was failing in its ammunition plan for Ukraine.
Borrell said Kiev can expect at least 21 billion euros in bilateral arms aid from Europe this year.
The goal of delivering one million artillery shells will not be achieved by the end of March.
However, the foreign representative was confident that this could be done by the end of 2024.
All 27 EU member states at a glance
Belgium
Bulgaria
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Finland
France
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Croatia
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Austria
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Sweden
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Czech Republic
Hungary
Cyprus
The 21 billion euros would be a significant increase compared to the average 14 billion euros spent per year before, said Borrell in response to a request from the federal government.
Germany alone had promised Kiev around seven billion euros for this year.
The EU aid package is intended to ensure further support for Ukraine, which, if an agreement is reached, would be financed by the EU budget instead of by the member states.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenkyj announced a video address for the special summit.
(dpa/lismah)