Report: EU Plans to Harm Hungarian Economy if Ukraine Funding Fails

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Facts

  • Following Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's veto of a proposed €50B ($55B) aid package to Kyiv in December, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will meet in the Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod. The meeting is expected to prepare for eventual talks between Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy and Orbán.1
  • This comes at the same time as leaked internal EU documents showed the bloc was planning to undermine Hungary's economy if it continued to block aid packages. The plan sought to worsen Hungary's inflation, currency, and debt issues by member states freezing EU funds headed to Budapest.2
  • Zelenskyy has recently also criticized Germany and the US for their lack of new aid packages. When asked about Germany's decision not to send Taurus cruise missiles, he stated he's only disappointed that Berlin didn't play 'the role it should have played in the first occupation of Ukraine.' As for the US, he's blamed 'individual Republicans who do not support Ukraine.'1
  • Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed that its forces took control of the Ukrainian village of Tabaivka, located in the northeastern Kharkiv region. In response, Ukraine said Russia's claim 'does not correspond to reality.'3
  • Ukraine added that the areas surrounding Tabaivka, which had a population of 34 people before the war began, were still undergoing battles, though Russia was still 'trying to advance in all directions.' Moscow has attacked Kharkiv's main city several times this month, including one that killed 11 people last week.4
  • Ukraine's Air Force said Sunday that Russia has also increased its drone and missile attacks on civilian sites and critical infrastructure — including two ballistic missiles fired at the central Poltava region and three surface-to-air missiles over the Donetsk region in the east.1

Sources: 1Guardian, 2Ft.com, 3The Telegraph and 4Barrons.com.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by UKRINFORM. Most Western states and their politicians understand the importance of giving aid to Ukraine, which is why the minority against it will lose. In the US, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is seeking ways to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, while in Europe, there are several options the EU can use to bypass another Hungarian veto.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by RT International. While Hungary has already agreed to approve funding so long as it isn't allocated over four years, the EU doesn't like compromise and will target its supposed allies who disagree with the status quo. Inter-EU economic and trade policy is completely unrelated to funding for Ukraine — Budapest understands this fact, but the corrupt politicians in Brussels seem not to care about the rule of law and are focusing on punishing Hungary instead.

Predictions