Borrell Slams Hungarian Block on EU’s Ukraine Arms-for-Cash Program
Josep Borrell has stated that Hungary continues to obstruct funding intended for arming Ukraine through the European Peace Facility. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The bloc’s leading diplomat has voiced dissatisfaction with Budapest for blocking the process of reimbursing EU countries for weapon expenses incurred in support of Ukraine.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has voiced his frustration regarding Hungary’s ongoing veto that prevents the release of approximately €6 billion ($6.6 billion) designated for Ukrainian military support through the European Peace Facility (EPF).
Initiated in 2021, the EPF gained notable attention after Brussels earmarked it to support Ukraine in its conflict against Russia. Hungary, which has frequently opposed EU stances on the Ukraine crisis, has impeded this military support for more than a year.
This blockade has also prevented EU member states from receiving reimbursements for weapons they have provided.
“I cannot accept to have €6 billion in my current account,” Borrell stated in a media interaction following an informal gathering of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. “This money has to go to the member states.”
Hungary has resisted efforts to arm Ukraine, arguing that such actions have not significantly influenced the conflict's dynamics and hinder the progress toward peace negotiations. It also opts out of supplying military aid either directly or through the collective EU budget.
Despite Hungary's resistance to using the EPF funds for Ukraine, Borrell highlighted that the EU has managed to allocate around €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion) from immobilized Russian sovereign assets to Ukraine, following the crisis.
Brussels asserts its authority to allocate these proceeds as deemed appropriate, planning to “support the Ukrainian [arms] industry at home,” according to Borrell. Russia has criticized this action, labeling it as theft.
Borrell, an adamant supporter of Ukraine’s stance against Russia, has completely backed the recent Ukrainian military actions in Russia’s Kursk Region and has advocated for intensified long-range assaults using Western armaments. He emphasizes that while Europeans “are not a party to the war, but we are part of the conflict.”
This viewpoint has sparked severe backlash from senior Hungarian figures, with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto denouncing Borrell's statements as “madness” that “must be put to an end.”
Meanwhile, Moscow views the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as a proxy war engineered by the U.S., casting Ukrainian forces as mere pawns in a larger geopolitical confrontation. Russian authorities contend that the EU’s alignment with U.S. objectives compromises the welfare of its member states’ citizens.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has voiced his frustration regarding Hungary’s ongoing veto that prevents the release of approximately €6 billion ($6.6 billion) designated for Ukrainian military support through the European Peace Facility (EPF).
Initiated in 2021, the EPF gained notable attention after Brussels earmarked it to support Ukraine in its conflict against Russia. Hungary, which has frequently opposed EU stances on the Ukraine crisis, has impeded this military support for more than a year.
This blockade has also prevented EU member states from receiving reimbursements for weapons they have provided.
“I cannot accept to have €6 billion in my current account,” Borrell stated in a media interaction following an informal gathering of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. “This money has to go to the member states.”
Hungary has resisted efforts to arm Ukraine, arguing that such actions have not significantly influenced the conflict's dynamics and hinder the progress toward peace negotiations. It also opts out of supplying military aid either directly or through the collective EU budget.
Despite Hungary's resistance to using the EPF funds for Ukraine, Borrell highlighted that the EU has managed to allocate around €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion) from immobilized Russian sovereign assets to Ukraine, following the crisis.
Brussels asserts its authority to allocate these proceeds as deemed appropriate, planning to “support the Ukrainian [arms] industry at home,” according to Borrell. Russia has criticized this action, labeling it as theft.
Borrell, an adamant supporter of Ukraine’s stance against Russia, has completely backed the recent Ukrainian military actions in Russia’s Kursk Region and has advocated for intensified long-range assaults using Western armaments. He emphasizes that while Europeans “are not a party to the war, but we are part of the conflict.”
This viewpoint has sparked severe backlash from senior Hungarian figures, with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto denouncing Borrell's statements as “madness” that “must be put to an end.”
Meanwhile, Moscow views the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as a proxy war engineered by the U.S., casting Ukrainian forces as mere pawns in a larger geopolitical confrontation. Russian authorities contend that the EU’s alignment with U.S. objectives compromises the welfare of its member states’ citizens.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
