EU Expected to Bypass Hungary to Fund Ukraine, Kremlin Says
His comments came after Hungary’s opposition Tisza party unseated longtime prime minister Viktor Orban in a closely watched parliamentary election. Orban had previously stalled a $106 billion loan package intended for Ukraine.
Tisza leader Peter Magyar campaigned on restoring ties with the EU and indicated that Hungary may withdraw its objections to funding Kyiv, signaling a potential policy reversal.
European leaders backing Ukraine welcomed the election outcome, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who publicly praised Magyar’s victory.
In a segment aired Sunday on Russia 1, journalist Pavel Zarubin asked Peskov whether ties between Russia and the EU could worsen after Orban’s defeat. “No, they can’t get any worse than now,” Peskov replied.
“One way or another, the EU would have found a way to unblock the funds, with or without Orban. We should have no illusions about it,” he added.
Since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022, Ukraine has received approximately $197 billion in combined financial and military assistance from the EU.
Orban, a frequent critic of EU policymaking, has argued that providing military aid to Ukraine risks drawing the bloc closer to direct confrontation with Russia. He has also warned that restrictions on Russian energy imports have negatively impacted EU economies.
Von der Leyen said the outcome of Hungary’s election creates fresh “momentum” for institutional reform, including limiting member states’ veto power on key foreign policy decisions such as financial aid packages. “Moving to qualified majority voting in foreign policy is an important way to avoid systemic blockages, as we have seen in the past,” she said.
Tensions between Budapest and Brussels remain high. In February, Hungary launched legal action against the EU over plans to phase out Russian energy supplies. Slovakia has indicated it will formally join the lawsuit this week, with both countries arguing that the bloc cannot override their opposition to sanctions tied to the Ukraine conflict.
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