EU summit live: talks continue after Hungary’s Viktor Orbán blocks aid package to Ukraine | Europe

Speaking on Hungarian state radio this morning, Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, said he tried for hours to convince European leaders not to sign off on launching accession negotiations with Kyiv.

The Hungarian prime minister said the leaders had several arguments he had to take into account:

• “They are 26, and I’m alone.”

• “They want to give Ukraine through this decision the encouragement needed to continue the war, and they asked that I don’t obstruct them in this.”

• “But their decisive argument was that Hungary doesn’t lose anything with this … If we don’t want Ukraine to be a member of the European Union, then the Hungarian parliament votes it down. And until the issue gets to the parliaments, it’s a very, very long process, and as they counted and I did, there are about 75 occasions when the Hungarian government can stop this process. And they said that if during the negotiations there is something which hurts Hungary’s interests, I stop it.”

Orbán also reiterated that Hungary did not want to take part in the “bad decision” and that is why he left the room while leaders made the decision to open accession talks.

“Later we can stop this process, if needed we pull the handbrake,” he said.

Speaking to reporters overnight, after many hours of discussion among the bloc’s 27 leaders, European Council president said “26 leaders agreed” on the budget proposal on the table.

“One leader, Sweden, needs to consult its parliament, which is in line with the usual procedure for this country – and one leader couldn’t agree,” he said, in a veiled reference to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán.

The budget revision includes a proposed 50 bn euro package for Ukraine, and spending on migration, defence and other priorities.

Michel added:

It means that we will revert to this matter early next year and we will try to get unanimity.

But, he stressed, “tonight we spent a very powerful signal to the European citizens, a very powerful signal to the Ukrainian citizens.”

Earlier in the evening, European leaders agreed to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, with Orbán leaving the room while the decision was made.

“This is a historic moment, a historic European Council,” Michel said.

After hours of talks, at 2:38am local time Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán said he had blocked agreement on both a new funding package for Ukraine and a top-up of the EU’s multiyear budget.

But he did not say he would veto forever, noting that the leaders will return to the issue next year “after proper preparation.”

Good morning and welcome to another edition of our European summit blog.

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