Orban proposes an agreement "up to 5-10 years" on strategic partnership between Ukraine and the EU instead of membership negotiations
Kyiv • UNN
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban proposes that the EU sign a strategic partnership agreement with Ukraine instead of starting membership negotiations. He also advocates the creation of a separate fund to help Ukraine outside the EU budget.
The European Union should first sign a strategic partnership agreement with Ukraine, rather than start membership talks with the country, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday, UNN reported citing Reuters.
Orban reiterated on Friday that several issues need to be clarified before membership talks with Ukraine can begin.
"If we don't know (what the consequences will be), we shouldn't start negotiations... Therefore, I will represent the view that the EU should first sign a strategic partnership agreement with Ukraine," Orban said in an interview with state radio.
"This (agreement) can last up to 5-10 years, let's bring them closer, because the gap is too big now," he said. - "Let's give us time to work together, and when we see that we can work together, then we will raise the issue of membership.
Orban's proposal comes a day after EU officials said on Thursday that Hungary is close to gaining access to billions of euros in EU funds that Brussels has suspended over concerns that Budapest has damaged the country's democratic system of checks and balances, the newspaper said.
The Hungarian prime minister called for a ceasefire in Ukraine and said that if the EU wants to give Ukraine more money, it should create a separate financial fund outside the EU budget based on intergovernmental agreements.
"Everyone should invest the money they want, and we should send money to Ukraine from this fund," he said, adding that, as the newspaper points out, "sending funding to Ukraine to wage war from the EU budget overloads the budget."
Addendum
In mid-December, 27 EU leaders are to decide whether to accept the European Commission's recommendation to invite Ukraine to start membership talks once it has met the final conditions.
Any such decision would require the unanimity of the bloc's 27 members, with Hungary seen as a major potential obstacle. The Hungarian prime minister has repeatedly stated that Hungary will not support the European Commission's proposal in its current form, the newspaper points out.
