No decision on income from Russian assets for Ukraine expected at EU summit, Hungary opposes proposal - DW
Kyiv • UNN
A European Commission proposal to use 90 percent of frozen Russian assets to buy weapons for Ukraine faces opposition from Hungary, making it unlikely to be approved at an upcoming summit of EU leaders.
A European Commission proposal to confiscate proceeds from frozen Russian assets in support of Ukraine is unlikely to be approved at a summit of EU leaders beginning Thursday, March 21, in Brussels. Hungary opposes channeling these funds to buy weapons for Ukraine. DW reports this, citing a senior European diplomat, writes UNN.
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According to him, there is a common understanding among most EU member states that the confiscated funds should go to buy weapons and ammunition for Ukraine. "Right now Ukraine needs money more for weapons, but unfortunately not for reconstruction. And we strive to do everything to avoid further destruction in Ukraine," the diplomat explained.
The European Commission's proposal states that 90 percent of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets should be used to buy weapons for Ukraine. However, the DW interlocutor said that "Hungary opposes this, saying that this money should go for anything but weapons for Ukrainians.
The second "controversial issue" on the summit agenda, according to the diplomat, will be the discussion on EU enlargement.
In December 2023, EU leaders supported the opening of accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova. In order for negotiations to begin, EU member states must approve the negotiating framework presented by the European Commission, which is the roadmap for the accession process, and hold a meeting of the intergovernmental conference, the specially created body that will directly lead the negotiations. Both of these decisions need the unanimous support of all 27 EU leaders.
"However, there is a high probability that these two decisions will not be taken during the current summit," the interlocutor said. "There are member states that oppose the opening of negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova to start under the Belgian EU presidency," he said, but declined to specify which countries he was referring to.
Belgium's EU presidency will last until July 1, after which Hungary should take over the baton. After the December EU summit, which decided to open negotiations with Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who did not vote in favor of the decision because he went out for a coffee, said that Budapest would block the negotiations in the future.
The DW interlocutor emphasized that "it would be better for the Hungarian presidency itself if the issue of accession negotiations between Ukraine and Moldova is resolved in June".
Asked whether EU leaders were considering taking away Hungary's EU presidency for failing to comply with the principles of European values, the diplomat said that "this is not a subject of discussion at the moment". "Until February, we talked about it (on February 1, a special EU summit unanimously supported the allocation of 50 billion euros of financial aid to Ukraine, which Hungary objected to. - Ed.). However, we are not talking about it now. Hungary will hold the EU presidency," the European diplomat said.