© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: European Union flags fly outdoors the EU Fee headquarters in Brussels, Belgium September 19, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photograph
By Andrew Grey and Jan Strupczewski
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban mentioned on Thursday that Ukraine didn’t fulfil the standards for to begin accession talks with the EU, standing firmly towards the view of different EU leaders as he arrived at a high-stakes summit.
Orban is obstructing each the beginning of EU membership talks and 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in monetary support for Kyiv.
The summit comes at a vital time in Ukraine’s conflict towards Russia’s invasion after a counter-offensive did not make main positive factors and with the Biden administration to date unable to get a $60 billion support package deal for Kyiv by Congress.
“There is no reason to negotiate membership of Ukraine now,” Orban mentioned as he arrived on the Brussels summit. “Pre-conditions were not met. We have to come back to it later on,” he mentioned, pointing at European Parliament elections subsequent June.
Officers and diplomats mentioned they had been braced for a troublesome collection of summit conferences that might go late into Friday evening and even into the weekend.
All the EU’s 27 nationwide leaders besides Orban have backed the beginning of accession talks. However such a choice requires unanimity and the Hungarian, who cultivates shut ties to Moscow, has beforehand insisted Ukraine isn’t prepared for such a step.
If EU leaders handle to approve membership talks and the four-year monetary package deal, Kyiv will be capable to declare a geopolitical victory. Failure to agree would possible be greeted by Moscow as an indication of faltering Western assist for Ukraine.
On the eve of the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned his nation had carried out the required political reforms to get the go-ahead and urged the EU to honour its commitments.
“I count on EU leaders recognising Ukraine’s efforts and taking this historic step,” he mentioned on social media. “Ukraine fulfilled its part and proved that it can achieve tremendous results despite unprecedented challenges.”
As an indication of intense diplomatic efforts on the matter, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had been set to fulfill with Orban forward of the summit, alongside European Fee chief Ursula von der Leyen and Council chief Charles Michel.
Orban has cited corruption in Ukraine and different considerations in justifying his stance. However EU officers and diplomats suspect he’s utilizing the difficulty as a bargaining chip, hoping to acquire funds frozen by the EU over considerations concerning the rule of regulation in Hungary.
“We’re not in a Hungarian bazaar where we can exchange one thing for another,” Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo mentioned on Wednesday. “Ukraine is a country that wants to respect democratic values … Maybe a lesson for Orban himself.”
RESTORING HUNGARIAN ACCESS TO FUNDS
The European Fee, the EU govt physique, on Wednesday restored Hungary’s entry to as much as 10.2 billion euros in refunds for financial initiatives after discovering it had fulfilled situations on the independence of its judiciary.
The Fee advisable final month that EU leaders agree to begin accession talks with Ukraine. A second unanimous determination would nonetheless be wanted – probably in March – to agree on a negotiating framework.
Officers and diplomats mentioned a compromise might contain an extended hole between the 2 selections and language within the summit declaration on situations to be fulfilled within the meantime.
Orban has additionally objected to a Fee proposal to provide Ukraine 50 billion euros in grants and loans to maintain the state working as a part of a broader revision of the EU finances.
Such a revision additionally requires unanimity amongst EU governments, which must pay for it.
Officers say if Hungary sticks to its stance, the EU’s different members might arrange financing outdoors the finances for Ukraine, however that will be extra advanced and costly.
