The European Union is seeking to persuade a reluctant Hungary to back Kiev’s proposed 50 billion euro bailout at a summit this week to send a clear signal to Russia, a German government official said, as quoted by Reuters.

All but one of the bloc’s 27 member states support the facility for Ukraine, a German official said, referring to Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orban has boasted of his ties to Moscow and threatened to resist aid, News.ro reported.

Ukraine needs stability in planning as it enters its second winter of fighting Russian aggression, a German official told a briefing in Berlin ahead of the Dec. 14-15 summit.

Such payments from the common EU budget require the unanimous support of all member states.

“Our clear goal is to convince this country that the facility for Ukraine is the right tool to demonstrate our unity and send a clear signal to Russia, and to support the efforts of US President (Joe) Biden to mobilize the necessary additional support. “, the German official said.

Asked if there was a plan B, the official said: “We’re betting on plan A.”

• Read also: The European Commission will look for alternatives if Hungary continues to block financial aid to Ukraine, Commissioner Dombrovskis

This is not the first time that Hungary is in conflict with its EU partners. He eased sanctions against Russia, and last December vetoed an agreement to provide Ukraine with 18 billion euros in 2023. Ultimately, Budapest allowed the aid to go through in exchange for days of negotiations on unblocking EU aid to Hungary, which had been blocked amid concerns about the retreat of democracy under Orbán.

“The object for Ukraine must be financed, no matter what happens”

On the other hand, the German government official said that the budget crisis in Berlin after the decision of the Constitutional Court, which canceled Germany’s finances, will not affect the obligations of the German government to help Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian mechanism is the highest priority from our point of view and it must be funded no matter what,” the official said, adding that the budget talks are not expected to prevent Chancellor Olaf Scholz from attending the summit.

• Hungary retains the right of veto against the start of negotiations with Ukraine on EU accession. “We will not give in to any pressure”
• ‘Viktor Orban will know when it’s time to back down’: Hungary is playing hardball, but EU officials say it can be persuaded to side with Ukraine at this week’s summit

The war between Israel and Hamas and migration will also be among the priorities of the EU summit agenda, the official said. Asked if the EU summit could also consider possible sanctions imposed on a number of Israeli settlers for attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank – following the example of the United States – the official said the issue would certainly be considered given the importance of the conflict in the Middle East. . “These are ideas that are being considered in EU circles, which we consider legitimate,” the official said.

However, the summit will not discuss new EU tax rules, as finance ministers are having constructive discussions on them, the official also said.

____

• Follow the latest events of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HotNews.ro