Hungary Deals Huge Blow to Ukraine, Blocks Over $50B in Aid
Americans grown weary of Ukrainian leaders’ relentless demands for war funding might have found a kindred spirit in Europe.
According to the BBC, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban emerged from late-night talks with European Union leaders in Brussels on Thursday and announced that he had halted a Ukraine aid package worth $55 billion.
“Summary of the nightshift: veto for the extra money to Ukraine,” Orban said.
The EU consists of 27 countries. In order to pass, the Ukraine aid package required the approval of all 27.
Despite the package’s defeat, EU leaders spoke as if Ukraine should expect to receive the money after all.
European Council President Charles Michel, for instance, described himself as “confident and optimistic.” Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo echoed that optimism.
“The message to Ukraine is: We will be there to support you, we just need to figure out a few of the details together,” De Croo said.
Part of the reason for EU leaders’ confidence lay in the Council’s corresponding decision to open EU membership talks with Ukraine and neighboring Moldova, both former Soviet republics.
Ukrainian politician Kira Rudik applauded the membership news but predictably connected its significance to the funding question.
“It is impossible to have a European future without winning the war,” Rudik said.
Orban left the room rather than exercise his veto on the membership question. The Hungarian leader, however, made clear his opposition.
“EU membership of Ukraine is a bad decision. Hungary does not want to participate in this bad decision,” Orban said on Facebook, according to the BBC.
Under the old Articles of Confederation (1781-89), the U.S. Congress had no power of taxation, and amendments required unanimity. Thus, each U.S. state enjoyed the kind of veto power Orban exercised.
If only the Articles still functioned, and if only Orban held a seat in the U.S. Congress, then perhaps the billions of dollars and thousands of Ukrainian lives squandered in the war with Russia since February 2022 might have been preserved.
As it stands, it appears that Europe’s leaders have learned nothing.
Whether Europeans and Americans agree with the interpretation or not, the continued pressing of EU borders eastward cannot help but strike Russians as an act of hostility. But the EU is Europe’s business.
For exasperated Americans, only one important question remains: How long will President Joe Biden and the blank check writers in Congress continue to defraud their constituents?
After all, only consumers of establishment media propaganda still believe that the fate of democracy hangs in the balance in Ukraine.
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