Hungary makes fresh demands in exchange for lifting veto on EU financial aid for Ukraine

euronews (in English)

After derailing December's summit, Hungary has made fresh demands to Brussels  in exchange for a lift on its veto on the European Union's proposed €50-billion fund for Ukraine.

Transcript

00:00 The Belgian presidency of the council is confident that a compromise can soon be found so that

00:07 it can continue to provide financing to Ukraine.

00:10 This is despite Hungary last month blocking the EU's 50 billion euro aid package to Ukraine.

00:17 Belgium's foreign affairs minister, Hadja El-Abid, assured Euronews a solution was in

00:22 reach.

00:23 "We are not taking a European presidency at 27 by saying we won't make it.

00:30 Of course we will make it and Belgium is known for building bridges, for hearing different

00:39 voices and for managing to moderate each other and to reach agreements.

00:47 It is with this state of mind that we are taking the European presidency."

00:52 Work is ongoing to get the ball rolling again when it comes to aid.

00:56 Sources told Euronews that Hungary insists the support should be split into four parts

01:02 with an annual review.

01:03 This would allow Budapest to keep its veto for each round of support.

01:16 When it comes to foreign affairs, the Belgian presidency also has another priority, which

01:21 is to stop the conflict in Gaza spilling over into the region.

01:27 "This is exactly what we want to avoid, a regional escalation.

01:33 The demonstrations, the voices of the Israeli people, the voices of the Palestinian people

01:41 are in this direction.

01:43 We are obviously horrified by what is happening today in the Middle East.

01:53 Belgium had set as one of its priorities on 7 October the restart of peace negotiations

02:03 in the Middle East."

02:05 The Belgian EU presidency is the last one before the EU elections in June.

02:11 Their main goal is to close as many legislative files as possible before then.

02:16 (laughing)

02:19 you

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