Arthur de Laborde / Photo credit: Miguel MEDINA / AFP 09:33, December 16, 2023

At the end of the European summit in Brussels, which allowed negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union to continue, Emmanuel Macron called on the Hungarian Prime Minister to "behave like a European". Viktor Orbán left the room at the opening of Kiev's accession negotiations, and vetoed the granting of €50 billion in financial aid to Ukraine.

"I didn't change my number." On Friday, at an EU summit, Emmanuel Macron appealed to Vladimir Putin: the French president remains reachable for the Russian leader, if the latter has "serious proposals" to make for peace in Ukraine. The question of its membership in the European Union was at the heart of the discussions in Brussels. The negotiations opened in the absence of Viktor Orbán. But a few hours later, the Hungarian prime minister vetoed €50 billion in financial aid to Kyiv.

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Faced with his counterpart's decision, Emmanuel Macron raised his voice, with a warning that was both firm and benevolent. "Hungary has been respected during this Council, it has a voice carried by its Prime Minister, it defends its interests (...) This respect implies responsibility," the French president said at a press conference.

"Don't let him hold our political progress hostage"

"I expect Viktor Orbán in the coming months that, being respected, his legitimate interests being taken into account, he behaves like a European and does not hold our political progress hostage." Emmanuel Macron knows that Viktor Orbán alone has the power to block Ukraine's accession to the European Union, because the unanimity of the 27 is required throughout the process, which will last several years.

On the other hand, on the financial aspect of support for Kiev, the Hungarian Prime Minister is less decisive. For the time being, he refuses to sign a European cheque for €50 billion over four years in favour of Ukraine. But on this issue, other countries will be able to bypass his veto. Hence this warning subtly slipped in by Emmanuel Macron, who reminds him that "our treaties allow us, in the end, to continue to move forward".

Negotiations to unblock the aid, which Ukraine considers vital, will resume next month at a new EU summit.