The last and only "obstacle" that prevented the EU from providing huge financial assistance to Ukraine, was resolved.
According to reference sources, at the extraordinary EU summit held in Brussels on February 1, EU leaders reached an agreement with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at an astonishing speed to provide 50 billion euros of financial assistance to Ukraine.
On February 1, local time, in Brussels, Belgium, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived at the venue of the special EU summit. Source: Visual China.
Last year, the European Commission proposed a long-term aid plan for Ukraine, calling for a revision of the EU's 2021-2027 medium-term budget in order to allocate an additional 50 billion euros to fill the budget gap for Ukraine over the next four years (2024-2027).
Orban has repeatedly and unequivocally opposed the EU's move. At the end of 2023, Hungary vetoed the EU's 50 billion euro aid plan for Ukraine, arguing that the EU should not provide more money to Ukraine, but should end the Russia-Ukraine conflict as soon as possible. As a result, EU leaders failed to agree on a plan at the EU summit last December.
Until the start of the summit, Orban expressed his firm opposition to this aid plan. He said in an interview on January 30 that Europeans also need the 50 billion euros. Elections will be held in Europe in 5 months, and if we make the decision today to bind Europe for four years and demand huge sums of money, we are ignoring the opinion of Europeans.
However, the leaders of the EU countries finally persuaded Orban. European Council President Charles Michel said on February 1 that the leaders of the 27 EU countries unanimously agreed to provide Ukraine with an additional 50 billion euros in aid within the EU budget, which will provide Ukraine with "stable, long-term and feasible funds".
Since Orban rejected the aid in a single vote late last year, the European Union** has been trying to reach a compromise with Hungary. At the moment, it is unclear whether the parties at the meeting reached other agreements to gain Orban's support.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (left) interacts with Slovak Prime Minister Fizo during a special EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, on February 1. Xinhua News Agency.
But in fact, the Hungarian side also has gains, and the two sides are more like each side has concessions. Balazs Orban, Orban's top aide and political director, who is not related to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said Hungary also got what it wanted from the EU summit.
According to the Global Times, Orban's sudden change of attitude came after EU leaders proposed that Kiev's spending could be reviewed within two years.
"We decided to come up with a compromise: well, we don't agree with the revision of the budget, we don't agree that 50 billion euros should be provided, it's a huge amount, we don't agree that it should be guaranteed for four years and so on. But well, if it is guaranteed that every year we will decide whether to continue to provide this money, as before, then Hungary is ready to participate in the decision of 27 (countries), and this annual decision should have the same legal basis as today: it should be a unanimous decision. ”
In fact, the Hungarian side has been facing tremendous pressure from the European Union. Orban's insistence has clearly angered some US and European forces, with some opponents vehemently calling him a "bully".
Recently, classified documents show that if Hungary blocks aid to Ukraine again at this week's summit, the EU will consider cutting off funding for Hungary, using means to "undermine Hungary's economy", endanger its currency, weaken investor confidence, and ultimately damage its "jobs and growth".
According to sources, the compromise also has the credit of Italian Prime Minister Meloni. With her relationship with Orban, she played an "important role" in promoting the "deal" of the European Union, together with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and France's Macron.
Ukraine is no less forceful. Previously, in order to curry favor with Orban, Ukraine added Hungarian language classes. Ukraine is reportedly mending relations with Hungary, a neighboring country and a member of the European Union, in order to receive critical assistance from the European Union and speed up the process of entering the European Union. One of the most important initiatives is the restoration of the right of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine to use their mother tongue.
Since the outbreak of the Crimean crisis, in order to strengthen national identity and counter the influence of Russian culture, Ukraine** introduced a law in 2017 requiring schools across the country to make Ukrainian a compulsory language for students from the fifth grade onwards.
The move angered minorities such as Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania in Ukraine, and Hungary** has been critical of the Ukrainian authorities, saying that they have violated about 7The right of 50,000 Magyars (the main ethnic group of Hungary) to use their mother tongue in public affairs and education.
At the end of last year, Orban rejected the EU's plan to provide Ukraine with 50 billion euros worth of aid, saying: "They (Ukraine) are still light years away from joining the EU, unless Ukrainian Hungarians are given full access to their mother tongue." ”
Therefore, in order to gain Hungary's support, Ukraine has recently amended the law on education and language to restore the mother tongue rights of ethnic minorities.
After the 50 billion euro financial aid was passed, Ukraine**Zelensky posted on social media on February 1 that the EU's continued assistance will help strengthen Ukraine's long-term economic and financial stability, and its importance is no less than military aid and sanctions against Russia. Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmygal said on social media on the same day that the EU's aid funds will be mainly used in the Ukrainian state budget to make up for the budget deficit.
The heads of state in the venue reached an agreement, but different voices were heard outside the venue. In the run-up to the special summit, farmers from France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and other countries blocked the main roads in Brussels with more than 1,000 tractors. On the day of the summit, farmers drove their tractors in front of the European Parliament, threw eggs, burned piles of paper, and set off fireworks.
On February 1, local time, the day of the special EU summit, farmers from Belgium and other European countries such as Italy drove nearly 1,000 tractors to the urban area of Brussels, causing serious road congestion. **ic photo
It is estimated that the main arterial roads in Brussels are clogged with about 1,300 tractors. Farmers from Italy, Spain and other European countries also participated. Farmers say they are not getting enough in return, are oppressed by taxes and green rules, and face unfair competition from abroad.
According to previous reports, agricultural activities are spreading throughout the European Union. In recent months, there have been mass demonstrations in about 15 EU countries. Farmers took to the streets in harvesters and tractors to complain to reporters that the EU seemed to have a lot of money to aid other countries and not enough money for its own people.
*: Governor of Chang'an Street WeChat***Reporter Liu Xiaoyan.
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