Germany, France raise concerns over EU plan to bypass Hungary's veto on Ukraine aid

Germany and France have expressed reservations about a proposal from the European Union’s diplomatic arm aimed at bypassing Hungary’s veto, which has stalled over €6 billion ($6.6 billion) in aid for Ukraine.

The European External Action Service suggested that member states could make voluntary contributions to the European Peace Facility (EPF), a fund used to finance military equipment for Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

This approach would allow funding to flow based on the agreement of contributors rather than requiring unanimous consent from all EU nations.

However, France and Germany worry that this could set a dangerous precedent, potentially undermining the EPF’s role as a foreign policy instrument. Currently, the EPF is funded through mandatory contributions based on each member state's economic standing and requires unanimous approval for disbursements.

Additionally, in some countries, voluntary contributions might need to be approved by national parliaments, introducing further complications. Neither the French nor German governments provided formal comments on the situation.

Hungary has been blocking the disbursement of aid to Ukraine for over a year, prompting EU nations to seek alternative solutions. The level of support for the voluntary contributions plan remains uncertain, and it may still require unanimous agreement among the 27 member states.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has hindered several EU initiatives aimed at assisting Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. His close ties to the Kremlin have drawn criticism, particularly following his visit to President Vladimir Putin in Moscow shortly after taking on the rotating presidency of the EU.

In response to Hungary's actions, the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, announced it would not send top officials to various informal meetings hosted in Hungary this year as part of the country’s presidency.

The topic of aid to Ukraine was discussed during a dinner between French President Emmanuel Macron and Orban’s team, where they explored ways to enhance cooperation in energy and defence.

Hungary’s persistent blocking of aid has led to discussions among diplomats about ways to protect future funding from potential vetoes. Since Russia's full-scale invasion, the EPF has approved seven aid packages totalling €3.5 billion, along with an additional €2 billion for ammunition supplies.

By Vafa Guliyeva