Hungary rejects backing EU call to send additional army assistance to Ukraine

(MENAFN) The European Commission (EC) has issued a joint declaration urging an increase in military aid to Ukraine, despite not having unanimous support from all EU leaders. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban once again refused to sign the document, citing his opposition to the bloc’s "pro-war" position on the Ukraine conflict. According to EU rules, such declarations require unanimous approval, but the EC published a shorter, three-sentence document and included the call for more military assistance to Kiev as an appendix, bypassing Orban's veto. The issue is expected to be revisited on Friday.

Orban explained that he would not allow Hungary to be part of any European consensus that supports the continuation of war. He has previously vetoed €30 billion in proposed EU military aid for Ukraine, arguing that the aid would only extend the conflict. Orban also stressed that the EU could not afford to fully support Ukraine, both militarily and financially, as the country’s state institutions are struggling to function. Russia has repeatedly argued that Western arms shipments to Ukraine prolong the war and make its backers complicit in the conflict.

MENAFN23032025000045015687ID1109345807