Unity Crumbles Over Ukraine Membership, Policy Chief Says

The efficacy of upcoming negotiations will determine the value of convening the next EU summit.

Budapest, 2023. december 12. Orbán Balázs, a miniszterelnök politikai igazgatója beszédet mond a új könyvének, a Huszárvágás - A magyar konnektivitás stratégiája címû kötet bemutatóján Budapesten, a Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) Hunyadi Mátyás-termében 2023. december 12-én. MTI/Hegedüs Róbert Fotó: Hegedüs Róbert

An extraordinary EU summit is likely to be held in the near future, so the contentious issues should be hammered out in the interim, the PM's political director said. "If this is successful, the budget will be amended, if not, the other member states will have to cover it from outside the budget," he concluded.

The budget amendment also includes additional funds for migration and for improving Europe's economic competitiveness, several points of which Hungary has already indicated its agreement on in principle, according to Balazs Orban.

However, there are conditions for supporting Ukraine if the bloc insists on including it in the budget. For example, the aid can be for a maximum period of up to one year and Hungary will not take on any charge increases for funds that are wrongfully withheld from her. 

The politician stressed that reaching a 27-member state joint decision on the budget is contingent on how Hungary's proposals are dealt with by EU bodies in the period ahead of the EU summit, which means an intensive period of negotiations between Hungary and the European Commission, and between Hungary and the other member states will ensue. The outcome will determine the value of convening the next summit.

If there's no agreement, the other member states can resolve the issues important to them on an intergovernmental basis,

the Hungarian PM's political director concluded.

Cover photo: Balazs Orban, the PM's political director, speaks at the launch of his new book on the Hungarian connectivity strategy, at the Hunyadi Matyas Hall of the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) in Budapest on December 12, 2023 (Photo: MTI/Robert Hegedus)