after the blockade of Hungary, the EU looking for a plan B to send 50 billion euros in aid to kyiv

The leaders of the Twenty-Seven are due to meet in January in Brussels after the failure of discussions on the payment of a new tranche of aid to kyiv. Without a Budapest deal, they could be forced to innovate.

Move forward, despite the blockage in Budapest. This, to summarize, is what the leaders of the European Union (EU) promised to do on Friday December 15 in Brussels (Belgium), after the “No” from Hungary to the payment of a new tranche of aid to Ukraine.

The 50 billion euros in donations and loans from the EU, spread over four years, are nevertheless crucial for kyiv, while the counter-offensive against Russia has stalled and new American aid is blocked by the Congress. Despite the emergency, and after allowing the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, Viktor Orban put a stop to the discussions.

As a result, EU leaders will find themselves “in January” during a new summit to address the subject, announced Charles Michel, the president of the Council. But there is no indication that Hungary will change its mind between now and then, even though unanimity is required on the issue.

Viktor Orban, accustomed to this blocking strategy, could use his veto again, while the European Commission withholds the payment of tens of billions of euros in subsidies to Budapest, within the framework of infringement procedures Rule of law. A situation which leads other countries to seek an alternative solution to release funds to Ukraine.

A plan B of the Twenty-Six

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar suggested on Friday that the other 26 EU member states could provide aid to kyiv “on a bilateral basis”, reports RTE. A position shared by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who, while emphasizing “work hard to obtain an agreement from the Twenty-Seven”explained that he was “It is now necessary to work on alternatives to have an operational solution.” in the event of a lack of unanimity, reports Euractiv.

Same story with Emmanuel Macron, who recalled during a press conference that “David Cameron [ancien Premier ministre britannique] had blocked the budget [en 2014] and that there was a whole circumvention mechanism”adding that the EU “[savait] TO DO” in such a situation.

What form could this plan B take? The idea of ​​creating a common fund by the 26 member states, without Hungary, was raised by European diplomats. But without the framework of European institutions, bringing together 33 billion euros in loans and 17 billion in donations risks being complex and taking time.

If this formula does not work, could Viktor Orban be asked to leave the Council room again, as when the accession negotiations with Ukraine were approved? The option seems to be ruled out, especially as this new tranche of aid to Kiev is part of a broader discussion on the revision of the EU budget from 2021 to 2027, the result of divisions among member countries over priorities. of the bloc and the increase in spending.

“We should come to a decision together”

Several leaders, however, are worried about seeing the unity, dear to the European project, sacrificed on the altar of efficiency. “I hope we don’t have to [aller vers un plan B]“explained the Italian Prime Minister, Georgia Meloni, reports the Financial Times. “Most of the time we should come to a decision together. [Inviter un membre à quitter la salle du Conseil] is not something we have to do every time”explained German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday, reports Politico.

European leaders tried to remain optimistic after the failure of negotiations. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo thus wanted to reassure kyiv of “support” of the EU and that it was simply necessary “define some details”. Ukraine “will not remain without support” supported Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, while considering that a solution of 27 would take too long, “while Ukraine does not have any”relates the Financial Times.