EU to override Hungary’s veto on €18bn aid to Ukraine in 2023

EU member states reached an agreement on Saturday to release an €18 billion financial aid package to Ukraine for next year.

The countries bypassed a veto from Hungary, which blackmailed aid to Ukraine so that its European partners did not freeze its stimulus funds over rule of law violations.

“Ukraine can count on the EU. We will continue to support Ukraine also financially, as long as it takes,” the EU Council said in a statement.

The proposal was adopted by the Council. And it will be submitted to the European Parliament for its possible adoption next week, the statement said.

Hungary is set to have €7.5 billion of its allocated share of the EU budget frozen after failing to complete a series of reforms aimed at tackling, among other things, corruption, irregularities in public procurement and conflicts of interest of government officials.