EU strikes 50bn-euro Ukraine aid deal as Orban caves
EU leaders on Thursday struck a deal with Viktor Orban to get 50 billion euros in financial aid to Ukraine, overcoming the Hungarian prime minister's veto with surprising speed at a crunch summit in Brussels. As doubts swirl over future support from Ukraine's other major ally the United States, the European Union deal is a huge boost for Kyiv as Russia's war nears the start of its third year. "All 27 leaders agreed on an additional EUR50 billion support package for Ukraine within the EU budget," European Council president Charles Michel, who chairs the summit, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "This locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine." The abrupt about-face from Orban on the vital four-year funding package for Kyiv came after EU leaders offered a possible review of the spending in two years – if called for by consensus among member states. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the deal in a video address to the EU leaders as "a clear signal that Ukraine will withstand and that Europe will withstand." European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen hailed a "good day for Europe." The money will plug holes in the Ukrainian government's budget to allow it to pay salaries and services, as its outgunned soldiers battle to hold back Moscow's forces. Orban – Russia's closest ally in the EU – sparked fury from his 26 counterparts in the bloc by thwarting a December deal on the aid. Thursday's talks were expected again to see hours of protracted political arm-wrestling but a deal was swiftly announced after Orban met first with the leaders of Germany, France, Italy and the EU institutions. "He gave some ground," said one European diplomat. "He saw that people were growing irritated, that there was a line not to cross." The Hungarian nationalist had been accused of holding Ukraine's future hostage in a bid to blackmail Brussels into releasing billions of euros in frozen EU funds for Budapest. While there was no suggestion of a direct quid-pro-quo, Orban did win assurances that Brussels would handle the question of Budapest's blocked funds worth 20 billion euros with impartiality, the diplomat said. "What Orban wants is not to be put in a corner," said another European diplomat. "It was a case of give and take. This was not about strong-arming, or threats. Everyone behaved constructively." A number of EU leaders had piled into Orban for once-again disrupting the bloc. Warning of growing "Orban fatigue" in Brussels, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was time for the Hungarian leader "to decide if he is a part of our community." Other leaders had said if Orban did not drop his opposition, they would club together as 26 to keep aid flowing for Ukraine's government. But with Kyiv facing possible budget shortfalls by spring, that option would have taken more time. The latest EU showdown took place against the backdrop of swelling protests by European farmers, who clogged roads around the summit with 1,300 tractors in a show of strength, lighting fires and pulling down a city statue. While the focus in the room was Orban, outside the nearby European Parliament angry farmers burnt tyres as they did their best to make sure their grievances were heard. "We need to be able to discuss in the council on this topic because the concerns that they have are partly legitimate," said Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Once the Ukraine aid was agreed, leaders turned more to the question of the future of EU military support for Kyiv. Accusations have been levelled that key EU nations such as France, Italy and Spain are not pulling their weight on arming Ukraine. Scholz, whose country is the largest European donor to Ukraine, has called for others to lay out their military support and do more to help Kyiv. (AFP)