EU stalemate: Hungary’s veto paralyses military aid to Ukraine
Hungary once again blocked military aid funds for Ukraine. According to Josep Borrell, the EU has been unable to transfer earmarked funds to Ukraine for over a year due to the veto from a single country. At this stage, there is no constructive way out of this situation.
EU Foreign Ministers were unable to reach an agreement on unlocking the funds from the "European Peace Facility" during their meeting in Brussels. These funds are essential for supplying arms to Ukraine, Ukrinform cites the EU's High Representative Josep Borrell. "It's a shame," Borrell said. The EU has not been able to transfer the allocated funds to Ukraine for over a year because of a single country's veto. There’s no constructive way out of this at this stage. Furthermore, EU member states won't be able to get compensated for money already allocated.
"When it comes to the European Peace Facility, I have lost hope that it can be unblocked. For over a year, we've been asked to apply pressure, find solutions, do other things… But these days, it is just a shame. Only shame. Not just because we can't provide military assistance to Ukraine, but also because these funds should be reimbursed to member states that have already provided military assistance to Ukraine," Borrell said. He noted that EU member states now have less incentive to help Ukraine, as they won't get reimbursed.
"So, I do not know how to solve this. But as of today, I qualify this as a disgraceful situation," he said. Borrell also mentioned that the majority of EU states insist on unblocking military aid payments to Ukraine through the "European Peace Facility." At the same time, he announced that emergency funds from frozen Russian assets will be used to help Ukraine. The first transfer of €1.4 billion will occur in early August.
"We plan to finance the procurement of priority military equipment with this amount – air defenses, artillery shells, and this is news, an order from the Ukrainian defense industry," Borrell stated.
Balázs Orbán, the political director to the Prime Minister of Hungary, has presented his "peace plan" for Ukraine to EU leaders. According to him, there are two warring parties – Ukraine and Russia – and three or four major powers that can play decisive roles as mediators.