EU has 'Plan B' if Hungary vetoes aid to Ukraine

The EU executive has proposed expanding budget support to help Ukraine pay salaries and meet other costs as the conflict continues to escalate, and the 27 EU member states will vote on the package at the bloc's December 14-15 summit in Brussels.

European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Photo: Reuters

However, some fear the aid could be blocked by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has touted his ties with Russia and has opposed similar support for Ukraine in the past. Such payments from the EU’s common budget require unanimous support from all member states.

Asked to comment, Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said any financial aid to Ukraine would have to be separate from the EU budget. He said the EU needed a new strategy for Ukraine and any financial decisions should stem from that.

If Budapest uses its veto, two EU officials said the bloc has a “Plan B” to deal with the issue by asking each other EU government to put together its own aid package for Kiev.

“The money issue for Ukraine will be resolved one way or another, Kiev will receive EU support,” said an EU official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Last year, Hungary vetoed a similar proposal to provide Ukraine with 18 billion euros in financial assistance by 2023. After months of wrangling, Budapest finally agreed to the package after winning concessions from the bloc on aid to Hungary. The EU is understood to be using a similar resolution to push the package through anyway.

Asked whether the EU would go down that path again if necessary, European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said this week: "Last year, we actually discussed 'Plan B'... But we were able to avoid this scenario last year. I hope we can avoid this scenario this year as well."

Mai Van (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/lien-minh-chau-au-co-ke-hoach-b-neu-hungary-phu-quyet-vien-tro-50-ty-euro-cho-ukraine-post272010.html