Ukraine Aid Talks Move Forward As Hungary Floats Compromise Plan

Rikard Jozwiak at RFE/RL posts on X: "EU ambassadors gave a partial green light today to start negotiations with EP on the 50 billion aid package for Ukraine. Full green light now likely at EU summit on 1 Feb. Hungary so far not blocking." The prospect of a deal on the funding comes in the wake of a Politico report on 9 Feb claiming that Hungary could approve the aid if approval is renewed on a yearly basis.

• Politico: "Budapest signaled it could approve the funding as long as the bloc’s governments were asked to approve it unanimously on a yearly basis...Hungary’s proposal would give Orbán the power to block EU funding to Ukraine every year ― or squeeze concessions from Brussels for lifting his veto."
• The offer marks a shift from Hungarian PM Viktor Orban's previous stance of no grants to Ukraine from the EU's long-term budget. However, there will be some reluctance in Brussels to give Orban such control over the Ukraine package for four years given his history of obstructing EU plans.
• The issue of Hungary's opposition to Ukraine aid has caused major schisms within the Union, with an MEP from the largest group in the European Parliament - the centre-right EPP - set tosubmit a petition that would look to start the process of removing Hungary's voting rights at council level.