Hungary blocks €50bn of EU funding for Ukraine

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

Hungary has blocked €50bn ($55bn; £43bn) in EU aid for Ukraine - just hours after an agreement was reached on starting membership talks.

"Summary of the nightshift: veto for the extra money to Ukraine," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said after Thursday's talks in Brussels.

EU leaders said the aid negotiations would resume early next year.
...
Commenting on Mr Orban's opposition to the aid, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: "We still have some time, Ukraine is not out of money in the next few weeks."

Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67724357

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So Orban's tactics were, after all, to not worry about the EU accession process (which will take years, however much it's prioritised), but to join with the far right US Republicans in denying current aid to Ukraine. If the aid from both EU and US is cut off, Ukraine doesn't stand a chance of winning the war, and there won't be a meaningful "Ukraine" left to join the EU (for instance, Putin asserted yesterday that "Odessa is a Russian city", so we know he'd take the entire Black Sea coastline at a minimum if he won).

This was, I suppose, agreed with the Republicans when Orban's team visited Washington DC. The Republicans are running their own foreign policy to hurt a US ally.

[Tomconroy]

1. The money was to be allocated for the fiscal year next summer.

The NY Times reported that workarounds of Hungary are possible given the time involved..
I do not believe Europe will abandon Ukraine. They know the stakes involved even if some in the GOP do not.

[BeyondGeography]

2. Orban is an ugly human

[moondust]

3. What does Pooty have on Vikky?

Kompromat? Bribes?

As others have pointed out, the "unanimous" vote requirement for the EU to act on something may only get more difficult to achieve as it accepts more new members. Perhaps a 2/3 or 3/4 majority vote would suffice and prevent one or two radical outliers like Orban from controlling important decisions.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Orban is a natural authoritarian and a genuine soul-mate of Putin

Trump may suck up and defer to Putin because he likes "strong men" (and/or kompromat/bribes); Orban is ideologically committed to an illiberal state. No kompromat or bribes required (though I'm sure the latter would be gratefully received, as "running costs" of Orban's political operation, and a nice retirement fund).

[Fiendish Thingy]

4. I thought the EU was different from the UN

In that one country alone couldn’t block any particular action, and that decisions were made be the EU’s executive council, or whatever the name of their governing body is.

I guess I was wrong.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. It varies depending on the area of the decision

In this case, for major aid to a non-EU country, I'm not surprised it would require a unanimous vote.

For anyone who wants full details: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/voting-system/

The Council has to vote unanimously on a number of matters which the member states consider to be sensitive. For example:

common foreign and security policy (with the exception of certain clearly defined cases which require qualified majority, e.g. appointment of a special representative)
citizenship (the granting of new rights to EU citizens)
EU membership
harmonisation of national legislation on indirect taxation
EU finances (own resources, the multiannual financial framework)
certain provisions in the field of justice and home affairs (the European prosecutor, family law, operational police cooperation, etc.)
harmonisation of national legislation in the field of social security and social protection.

In addition, the Council is required to vote unanimously to diverge from the Commission proposal when the Commission is unable to agree to the amendments made to its proposal. This rule does not apply to acts that need to be adopted by the Council on a Commission recommendation, for example, acts in the area of economic coordination.

Under unanimous voting, abstention does not prevent a decision from being taken.

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/voting-system/unanimity/

[SouthernDem4ever]

7. Of course Orban has to play his part being a leader in the asshole brigade

that's why the repugs love him.

[moniss]

8. Take a vote and delay all EU funding

to Hungary.

[republianmushroom]

9. Is Hungary a little PO ?

[EndlessWire]

10. Orban isn't welcome here in the US.

Republicans notwithstanding, my opinion is that the rest of us probably don't want him back on our soil. Let's restrict him to the United Nations area. No more sight seeing by this enemy diplomat. No more speeches here.

This problem wouldn't exist if the rat weasels in our own Congress weren't following Trump. This isn't about Ukraine. It's about sucking up to Putin. It's about getting even with Ukraine for Trump.

If Ukraine falls, we will never see the end of war.

[Chi67]

11. I agree

Unfortunately we have MAGAts who want the US to look like Hungary or Russia. Orban is horrible. I recently bought a new Audi, they have factories in Hungary. I made sure mine was made in Germany (FYI, Audi has no US factories). I want nothing to do with Orban.

[Chi67]

12. Russia

Should never have been allowed to invade Ukraine. I know there are international agreements and such, but Ukraine is a sovereign nation. Russia had no legitimate reason to invade. It's not like Ukraine was bombing Russia. Putin just decided to invade for no reason. THAT is why we have to support Ukraine.

Putin initially feared NATO expansion, or so he said. Well that failed.