Media: Hungary drops veto, unblocking €6.6 billion EU defence aid for Ukraine

Hungary has reportedly withdrawn its long-standing veto blocking €6.6 billion in European Union funding for Ukraine’s defence, removing a key obstacle to the bloc’s support for Kyiv, according to Népszava.

The decision, taken at ambassadorial level, paves the way for the use of funds under the European Peace Facility, although the precise allocation has yet to be finalised.

Diplomatic sources suggest the package is likely to be directed towards strengthening Ukraine’s air defence systems.

The European External Action Service, the EU’s de facto foreign ministry responsible for the facility, is expected to draft the legal framework in the coming period. The proposal will then require approval from member states.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the funding could be used to expand air defence systems purchased from the United States, amid what Kyiv describes as escalating Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian officials said a recent wave of strikes involved hundreds of drones and missiles, killing at least 23 civilians, including children.

Hungary had for years blocked EU measures related to Ukraine’s financial assistance, military support and the opening of accession talks. The government also opposed elements of Ukraine’s broader EU integration process, including funding mechanisms and negotiating frameworks.

The latest development follows a separate announcement by Péter Magyar, who said an agreement had been reached with Ukraine on the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. That breakthrough is understood to have contributed to Budapest lifting its remaining vetoes linked to Ukraine’s EU accession process.

EU member states are expected in the coming weeks to endorse three key documents needed to open the first cluster of accession negotiations with Ukraine. These include a roadmap on judicial and rule-of-law reforms, an updated minority rights framework reflecting commitments from Kyiv, and a joint position outlining interim benchmarks Ukraine must meet during the accession process.

Officials note that the rule-of-law cluster is typically among the last to be closed in EU accession talks, meaning Ukraine’s membership will depend on full implementation of the agreed reforms and conditions.

By Aghakazim Guliyev