EU ministers criticised an underemphasis on Ukraine in Hungary’s agenda for its presidency of the bloc, at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (24th September).
“Ukraine is unacceptably sidelined in the agenda,” said Dace Melbārde, Latvia’s parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs. “Support for Ukraine is of exceptional importance for our country and our region,” she added, during a roundtable discussion of EU ministers.
Budapest is currently at the helm of the European Union’s rotating presidency, which sees the 27 member states take turns to chair discussions and set meeting agendas. While most EU countries support Ukraine’s defensive war against the Russian invasion of its territory, Hungary opposes sending material support.
In particular, Hungary is blocking payments from an off-budget fund set up by EU countries for Ukraine’s defence, under a scheme called the European Peace Facility. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also drew sharp criticism from EU colleagues in July, when he visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
At a meeting of the EU’s General Affairs Council in Brussels on Tuesday, Hungarian EU Affairs Minister János Bóka laid out Budapest’s presidency priorities – highlighting matters such as economic competitiveness, defence, illegal migration and EU enlargement.
In a discussion that followed Bóka’s presentation, however, representatives from several EU countries sharply criticised the lack of focus on Ukraine.
“It is one of the top priorities of the EU to support Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s aggression, and it is crucial that we stay united,” said Pavlína Žáková, the Czech Republic’s deputy minister of European affairs. “However, it is only marginally represented in the presidency program.”
“I find it remarkable that this is missing in the presidency priorities for everyone in Europe,” said Swedish Minister for EU Affairs Jessica Rosencrantz. “It is of existential importance that we continue to support Ukraine politically, militarily and economically for as long as it takes.”
Sweden, along with neighbouring Finland – which shares a border with Russia – joined the NATO military alliance in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Strong political, economic and military support to Ukraine for as long as necessary is the EU’s most important priority,” said Finland’s Minister for European Affairs, Joakim Strand.
Poland’s EU Affairs Minister, Adam Szłapka, echoed his counterparts’ concerns. “Our main priority is missing in the priorities of the Hungarian presidency,” he objected. “The main priority of the EU is support for Ukraine, taking into account the situation on the ground, especially military assistance.”
Szłapka added that supporting Ukraine militarily “is our duty.”
Though Hungary’s turn at the helm is now at its mid-point – it runs from 1 July to 31 December – Tuesday’s General Affairs Council was the first opportunity for Hungary to give the customary presentation, because of the EU elections in July and the summer break.
Along with the Hungarian presentation, the rule of law in Europe was also on the meeting agenda.
Hungary was not the focus of that discussion. However, the European Commission is withholding some of Hungary’s EU funding over rule of law concerns, particularly corruption and judicial independence.
Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib alluded to the concerns about the rule of law in Hungary in her response to Bóka’s presentation.
She noted that although a hearing on the suspension of Hungary’s EU funding “is not foreseen during your presidency, we invite you to seize the occasion to work on the necessary adjustment to positively evolve on this topic.”
She added, “It is necessary to maintain a continued focus on the war in Ukraine. The related approval of the European Peace Facility is long overdue and needs to be implemented.”
Lahbib is currently the candidate for European commissioner for preparedness, crisis management and equality.
[Edited by Rajnish Singh]
Source: euractiv.com
