If the rumors spreading in Brussels are to be believed, then the decision was taken as a step towards the Hungarian compromise.

"All 27 heads of state and government have agreed on an additional EUR 50 billion support package for Ukraine within the EU budget," announced Charles Michel, President of the European Council, who shared the fact of the agreement on his X page (formerly Twitter).

"We agreed. All 27 leaders agreed on an additional EUR 50 billion support package for Ukraine within the EU budget," wrote Michel.

According to the head of the European Council, "this provides stable, long-term, predictable financing for Ukraine."

He also stated: the Union assumes a leading role and assumes responsibility in supporting Ukraine; we know what's at stake.

The post arrived three minutes after the start of the meeting, according to the Magyar Nemzet correspondent on the spot, who also reported: "if the rumors spreading in Brussels are to be believed, then the decision was taken as a step towards the Hungarian compromise".

Pursuant to this, the European Commission holds an annual debate on the implementation of the instrument with the aim of providing guidelines.

This - if it is true - is a clear step towards Hungary's position on the part of the remaining EU-26.

The focus of the one-day extraordinary meeting of the heads of state and government of the European Union member states in Brussels, the meeting of the leaders of the European Council, was the discussion and adoption of the proposal for the mid-term review of the seven-year EU budget (MFF), which, among other things, includes a 50 billion euro aid package for Ukraine.

The extraordinary meeting was called by Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, because no agreement was reached on the revision of the budget between 2021 and 2027 at the last EU summit in December.

The leaders of the member states managed to reach a preliminary compromise on 21 billion instead of the originally planned 66 billion euros in additional revenue. According to EU plans, 17 billion euros of the sum would go to Ukraine, and 4 billion euros would remain for everything else – for migration purposes, increasing strategic independence and interest repayment.

According to the proposal, the EU would support Ukraine with 50 billion euros for four years, at the expense of the seven-year budget.

The aid package intended for the country consists of the already mentioned EUR 17 billion in non-reimbursable support at the expense of the EU budget, as well as a EUR 33 billion loan. The funding would support the country's short-term recovery needs, as well as medium-term reconstruction and modernization.

In his letter of invitation to the leaders of the member states, Charles Michel emphasized that the finalization of the agreement on the review of the multi-annual financial budget framework is vital for the credibility of the European Union and not least for its commitment to the support provided to Ukraine.

He recalled: at the last meeting in December, the leaders of 26 member states strongly supported a balanced negotiating framework, which clearly takes into account the main priorities, including support for Ukraine, the management of migration and its external dimension, support for the Western Balkans and the European response to natural disasters. This negotiation framework serves as a "finalization ground" for the agreement of the 27 member countries, he emphasized.

At the EU summit in December, the members of the European Council already decided that the European Union can start accession negotiations with Ukraine.

Mandiner.hu
Hungarian Nation
MTI

Cover photo: Viktor Orbán posted a photo of the meeting before the EU summit
Source: Facebook/Viktor Orbán