What is Hungary’s stance on aid to Ukraine?
Hungarian prime minister is a rightwing leader, is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In April 2022, after his re-election, he named Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as one of the “opponents” he had to overcome.
He believes that the regime in Ukraine is beset by corruption, and that the country is not yet ready for EU membership.
He believes Ukraine should first serve as a strategic partner of the EU for some time before membership talks can begin.
He has been opposed to the financial package on the grounds that a non-EU member to Ukraine.
What is the backdrop of the latest move?
The EU had frozen substantial funds earmarked for Hungary, on the grounds that Hungary had violated EU norms on law and order and judicial independence.
Hungary has sought to use its veto power on Ukraine’s long-term funding as well as formal membership talks as a bargaining chip to get EU to unfreeze these funds.
In fact, a day before the summit meeting, the EU released €10 billion of frozen funds to Hungary.
The European Commission, has maintained that the timing was a mere coincidence and the funds were released in response to Hungary meeting EU’s demands on judicial reforms.
Ukraine’s EU membership ?
Accession to the EU is a long-drawn process, where a country has to fulfil several governance-related and other requirements.
If we exclude the six founding members, on an average, it took about nine years for each of the other 21 members to gain membership.
Hungary will have plenty of opportunities to disrupt or even derail Ukraine’s membership process.
For Ukraine’s membership have to be approved by the Parliaments of all the EU nations, including Hungary’s.
In short the EU membership of Ukraine is not happening in near future.
Why is the EU aid package important for Ukraine?
President Zelensky is extremely worried about war fatigue eroding support for Ukraine’s resistance to Russia.
The U.S. Reports indicate that a substantial number of Republican lawmakers — and their followers — are losing patience with the lack of military successes.
They are concerned about funnelling American tax payer dollars into a conflict that is increasingly looking like a war their side cannot win.
The Republicans want President Joe Biden to tighten immigration policy in exchange for their support on approving a further $61 billion of aid to Ukraine.
Presidential elections are due next year, and a victory for Donald Trump and his ‘America First’ foreign policy could bring an end to the generous U.S. aid for the Ukrainian war effort.
This leaves a relatively small window for Mr. Zelensky to not only obtain whatever financial aid he can but also secure binding political support .
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