EU to Provide Additional Funds for Russia-Ukraine War

The European Commission's proposal includes continuous support for Ukraine until at least 2027. In other words, the EU is counting on financing the consequences of a protracted war, Akos Bence Gat, a researcher at the National University of Public Service, told Magyar Nemzet in connection with the bloc's mid-term amendment of its seven-year budget and the need for additional funds from member states. The head of foreign relations at the Danube Institute also explained how this could affect the 2024 EU elections.

Hungary's bargaining positions  

The researcher also pointed out that the issue of EU funds due to Hungary has become highly politicized and are clearly part of political bargain. EU funds are being used to blackmail Hungary into supporting certain EU policy decisions.The Hungarian government has repeatedly indicated that the issue of EU funds for Hungary should be treated as objectively as possible, separate from other political issues.

At the same time, if the EU institutions insist on blurring this issue with other political matters, a bargaining position may inevitably open up for Hungary as well.

However, the researcher added that the current power politics in the EU is detrimental to EU cooperation. "One of the EU's strengths in the past has been its ability to find solutions that are acceptable to all even the most complex issues. But today, the search for consensus is unfortunately seen as a weakness and is increasingly shunned within the European Union. The new trend is to ram through the will of the heavy-weight political and institutional players in EU decision-making at all costs.

What if member states run dry?

The expert also pointed out that as the European Parliament elections approach, the Commission announced at the half-way point that the common seven-year European budget is already starting to run out. "If a member state government were to come up with something like this before a national parliamentary election campaign, it would certainly be asked: why should taxpayers pay in more money? Have they been good stewards of the resources so far?"

By comparison, the EU leadership doesn't at all seem to be afraid of being held to account in next spring's elections, which raises questions about the democratic functioning of the EU.

In response to Magyar Nemzet's question, the expert said that the budget amendment issue is likely too complicated to be a major European parliamentary election campaign talking point on its own. However, specific issues linked to the budget revision, such as the war in Ukraine, migration or EU funds, could play a much more decisive role at the ballot box.

Cover photo: Ukrainian artillerymen in the Kharkiv region (Photo: MTI/AP/Jevhen Maloletka)