The EU released a joint statement on increased aid to Ukraine without the usual unanimous agreement.
Following a summit in Brussels on Thursday, the European Commission (EC) issued a joint declaration calling for increased military assistance to Ukraine, despite lacking the unanimous support of all EU leaders. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban declined to endorse the final document.
The EC typically requires all 27 EU members to unanimously support such declarations. This particular declaration, urging increased military aid to Kiev, was added as an appendix to a short, three-sentence document, effectively circumventing Orban’s opposition. The matter is expected to be discussed again on Friday.
Orban stated his opposition stems from the EU’s “pro-war” stance on the Ukraine conflict.
“We will not allow a common European position to be formed that includes Hungary and is pro-war,” Orban stated following the meeting.
Earlier in the month, Orban vetoed a proposed €30 billion (£32 billion) EU military aid package for Kiev, arguing it would only prolong the conflict.
In a media interview, Orban defended his decision, arguing that the EU cannot afford to completely finance Ukraine. He claimed that in addition to funding the military, the EU would also need to support the Ukrainian government, because “Ukraine, as a state, is not functioning.”
Moscow has consistently asserted that Western arms shipments to Ukraine only prolong the conflict and effectively involve the Western backers in the conflict.