The EU seeks to remove obstacles to start negotiations to admit Ukraine
(Dan Tri) – The European Union (EU) is trying to convince member Hungary to let Budapest support the bloc’s policies regarding Ukraine, including launching negotiations to admit Kiev into the union.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Photo: Reuters).
According to Reuters, the EU is considering releasing billions of frozen euros to Hungary as the Union seeks to persuade Budapest to accept policies related to Ukraine, including starting negotiations on membership.
Late last year, the EU froze 22 billion euros from the bloc’s Cohesion Fund allocated to Hungary for the period 2021-2027 because it said Budapest did not meet European standards on the rule of law.
Hungary then made some reforms in the apparatus, but up to now the issue related to the above money has not been negotiated.
Hungary is a member of the European Union (EU) and NATO but pursues a neutral path in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Therefore, Hungary is considered a country that can object to the EU’s plan to launch negotiations to admit Ukraine, expected to take place in December. This move needs approval from all 27 members of the EU, so the vote
In addition, the EU also needs Hungary’s consensus to increase aid packages for Ukraine in the future.
Reuters quoted a source from an EU official as saying that in order to convince Hungary to change its vote, the European Union is expected to consider activating aid to Budapest that the EU has frozen in recent times due to disagreements between the European Union and Budapest.
`I cannot imagine a scenario where Hungary would agree if there is no solution for the money (aid to Budapest) that is being blocked,` the official said.
Another EU official said there is a link between funding for Hungary and EU plans that require absolute consensus from members, including negotiations on union expansion and funding.
`Hungary urgently needs this money because it is an impetus for reform. Meanwhile, the European Commission also wants Hungary to lift its veto on some issues,` said a diplomat.
However, to be admitted to the EU, Ukraine seems to have to face a long process.
Last month, Budapest announced it would not support Ukraine in any international issues until the language rights of ethnic Hungarians living in southwestern Ukraine are restored.
`We will not support Ukraine in any issue in the international arena until the country restores the law ensuring the rights of Hungarians in the Transcarpathia region,` Hungarian Prime Minister Orban announced on September 25.
Hungary and Ukraine have been clashing over minority rights since the Ukrainian parliament in 2017 passed a law `on ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a national language`.