The centre-right European People’s Party, liberal Renew, Socialists and Democrats, Greens, and national-conservative ECR all urged EU leaders to agree on further financial aid for Ukraine’s defence efforts during the extraordinary European Council summit starting on Thursday (1 February).
The only two groups missing are the extreme opposites of the hemicycle – the Left and far-right eurosceptic Identity and Democracy (ID) groups.
“We, the Presidents of the main political groups in the European Parliament, are united in urging all the EU Heads of State or Government (…) to take the decisions that are required to face the extraordinary challenges put before Ukraine,” the declaration, signed by the group Presidents, reads.
While the bloc’s leaders managed to sidestep Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán opposition and agree to open accession talks with Kyiv, Orbán on 15 December vetoed €50 billion in EU financial aid for Ukraine, throwing into doubt Europe’s capacity to provide ongoing support.
In a clear message to Orbán, the group presidents stress that “further delays or annual vetoes are not an option”.
ECR group siding with the rest of the forces in the European Parliament makes rumoured cooperation between Hungary’s ruling party Fidesz – currently not affiliated with any group – and the national-conservative force highly unlikely.
“We urge the European Council and the Member States to live up to their promises, ensure effective and sustainable long-term military support to Ukraine and to step up the efforts to deliver the ammunition and military support that the Ukrainian defence forces so urgently need,” the statement adds.
The Left group declined to sign the declaration, a source close to the matter told Euractiv.
“The Left has always condemned Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the countless lives and devastation it has caused in Ukraine over the last two years. In the specific case of this letter from political groups, we had some issues with the wording around military ammunition and decided not to sign,” a spokesperson of The Left told Euractiv.
[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]
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Source: euractiv.com
