EU “tired of” Orbán – Donald Tusk

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Thursday expressed criticism towards Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s decision to block financial aid to Ukraine, emphasizing the need for solidarity within the European Union. He emphasized that Orbán must decide whether Hungary is committed to being an integral part of the EU.

Tusk stated, “this is a very peculiar and self-serving tactic by Orbán, and there can be no compromise when it comes to our fundamental principles and the rule of law. The issue of Ukraine is one where compromise is not an option.”

The EU leaders convened for an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday, where they unanimously agreed to allocate 50 billion euros to Ukraine. This decision marked the resolution of the weeks-long resistance from Hungary.

Charles Michel, the chairman of the European Council, announced the unanimous decision, stating, “we have achieved unity. All 27 leaders have agreed to provide an additional aid package of 50 billion euros from the EU budget to Ukraine. This will ensure stable, long-term, and predictable financing for Ukraine, demonstrating the EU’s leadership and responsibility in supporting the country.”

The agreement comes after weeks of opposition from Orbán, who had previously vetoed the allocation of aid to Ukraine in December.

The financial assistance to Ukraine from the EU budget includes direct aid of 17 billion euros, with an additional 33 billion euros to be provided to Kyiv in the form of credits over the next four years.