Josep Borrell reveals the amount of frozen aid to Ukraine amid Hungarian veto: 6.6 billion euros at stake
Former European Union high representative Josep Borrell disclosed the extent of frozen financial resources designated for supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
According to him, a staggering 6.6 billion euros remain inaccessible within the EU Peace Fund — amounts that were intended for military assistance to Ukraine.
The primary reason for this deadlock is the stance taken by Hungary, which has hindered the release of these funds.When asked how these obstacles could be overcome and what measures could lift Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s veto, Borrell emphasized that EU sanctions decisions are made by consensus and that this principle is fundamental.
"We do not plan to change this approach because it would require a renegotiation of the EU treaties, which is virtually impossible," he explained.
He also noted that since he left office in 2022, Ukraine has not received new aid packages from the EU, further complicating the situation.He stated that due to Hungary’s position, the EU’s peace support instrument has become essentially inactive.
"The 6.6 billion euros are effectively frozen, and the instrument has ceased to function.
Now, everything depends on bilateral agreements.
If Budapest continues to block sanctions, re-imposing them will become impossible, which could lead to further deterioration of support for Ukraine," he summarized.Earlier, Budapest blocked the allocation of €20 billion of EU military aid to Ukraine.
This issue has sparked significant public and political debate, and experts like Vladimir Kravchenko have outlined four strategies to counteract this veto.