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EU chief says aid package for Ukraine will be approved 'with or without' Hungary's approval

by Lance Luo January 17, 2024 4:22 AM 1 min read

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Jan. 16, 2024. (Stefan Wermuth/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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The EU will approve a 50 billion euro aid package for Ukraine 'with or without' Hungary's approval, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Davos on Jan. 16.

"My personal priority is to have an agreement by 27. And if this is not possible, we are prepared for an agreement by 26."

In December 2023, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked the deal hours after the group agreed it would formally commence full membership talks with Ukraine.

Kyiv is critically dependent on funding from Western partners as it continues to battle Russian forces.

Ukraine is also waiting on a security assistance package worth over $60 billion from Washington. U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to meet with top congressional leaders on Jan. 17 to hammer out a deal for Ukraine and Israel.

Between August and October 2023, the amount of fresh aid to Ukraine decreased by 87% compared to the same period in 2022, according to a study by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

Author: Lance Luo

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