The decision to help Ukraine worth 50 billion euros is supported by all 27 EU member states, – Shmygal

This year, the EU will be able to provide financial assistance approximately at the level of 2023.

Previously, all 27 EU member countries agreed to a 4-year program to support Ukraine in the amount of 50 billion euros , said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmyhal.

“Ukraine expects that on February 1 the EU will approve a new four-year support program worth 50 billion euros, Ukraine Facility. We can preliminary say that all 27 EU members have agreed to support this program,” he wrote in Telegram.

According to the prime minister, Ukraine expects that this year the EU will be able to provide financial assistance approximately at the level of 2023.

“To cover the Ukrainian budget deficit, it is important for us to attract about 18 billion euros from the European Union,” Shmygal emphasized.

In addition, he noted, the administration of US President Joe Biden plans to provide $11.8 billion in budget support this year.

“We rely on a positive decision by the American Congress on this issue in the near future,” Shmygal added.

What is known about Hungary’s position

At the same time, Reuters , citing a senior EU official, writes that approval of the package is still complicated by the position of Hungary, which, among other things, proposes to allocate funds to Ukraine annually by a unanimous decision of EU members.

“The negotiations are getting a little more complicated… Hungary’s position hasn’t really been flexible on this,” said an EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official added that among other EU member states that want to provide more assistance to Ukraine, there is a growing level of disappointment with Hungary. He also noted that some of the ideas proposed by Orban, such as annual unanimous approval of aid to Ukraine, were unacceptable to other EU members.

“No EU member state wants to find itself in a situation where Ukraine will have to go through unanimous decisions to send aid,” the source said.

Help to Ukraine from the EU – what is known

As UNIAN reported, in December 2023, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, at the European Union summit in Brussels, vetoed aid to Ukraine in the form of 50 billion euros from the European Union. At the summit on February 1, EU leaders will again try to reach an agreement on an aid package for Ukraine.

President of the European Council Charles Michel said that the European Union has the tools to guarantee assistance to Ukraine. He is confident that Ukraine will be provided with funding despite the Hungarian veto.

Today Politico, citing a European official, wrote that the EU is preparing a “nuclear option” to punish Hungary for blocking money to Ukraine. According to the publication, this could happen if the EU applies the so-called Article 7 – the most serious political sanction against a member state, which provides for the suspension of its voting rights in EU decisions.

(C)UNIAN 2024