European Council president "very confident" of €50 billion approval for Ukraine despite Hungary's position
European Council President Charles Michel believes that EU leaders will reach a compromise at this week's summit to approve €50 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine for 2024-2027.
Source: Charles Michel in an interview with the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty, according to European Pravda
Michel said he was "very confident" of a €50 billion decision for Ukraine, although he acknowledged that it would not be easy.
Quote: "I'm very confident because I feel very strong support. I feel that European leaders do understand this...to make very clear with this decision that we support Ukraine in the long run," he added.
The President of the European Council pointed out that all EU member states agree on the need to approve additional funding for Ukraine, except for Hungary, "which is expressing some doubts and some reluctance."
Quote: "We need to convince Hungary, and we are working on that day and night to prepare the European Council, and I hope we can deliver," Michel concluded.
Background:
- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is reportedly opposing the opening of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU and does not even want this issue to be discussed at the summit; he also does not want to support the €50 billion multi-year financial support instrument for Ukraine and the EU's military support programme for Ukraine.
- The European Union, however, does not rule out that the EU summit decisions on additional aid to Ukraine and the midterm budget review could be adopted bypassing Hungary, which is blocking them.
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