Hungary blocks Ukraine aid after EU opens door to membership

Brussels: Hungary on Friday blocked the European Union from approving a financial aid package for Ukraine, although EU leaders agreed to officially open accession negotiations for Ukraine to join the bloc, an important breakthrough for Kyiv.

The decision about EU accession came at a crucial time for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, who had just returned from a bruising visit to the United States, where money for his war effort is being held up by political divisions in Congress.

Even though accession will take years, the announcement Thursday was a symbolic win that was likely to rile President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has decried Ukraine's European ambitions as a form of aggression.

"This is a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens," Zelenskyy said on X in response to the news.

The next hurdle for Ukraine will be to secure 50 billion euros (about $52 billion) in proposed aid for the country. EU leaders failed to agree on that aid even though they kept negotiating into the early hours Friday.

At the start of the EU meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary said he planned to veto an official opening of Ukrainian accession talks, arguing that the country was not ready and that Ukraine's entry would be bad for the bloc and for Hungary.

But at the behest of Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Orban left the room when it was time to raise objections to opening those negotiations, allowing the decision to be reached while he effectively abstained.

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, told the news media that 26 EU countries backed the financial support for Ukraine, but one did not.

"One leader couldn't agree on this," Michel said, adding that the leaders would reconvene to try to secure unanimity in "early January."

Orban, who in the past has delayed some EU sanctions against Russia, had said earlier Thursday that the aid should come only after Europe-wide elections planned for the summer.

If Orban continues to block the funds, the EU can still create a trust with the other 26 member countries, which have all signaled their approval, but doing so would be cumbersome.