BRUSSELS, March 20 – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Friday that the European Union will pursue alternative approaches to deliver a promised 90 billion euro ($104.2 billion) financial package to Ukraine, despite continued opposition from Hungary.
“We will deliver one way or the other,” von der Leyen stated to media representatives following a Brussels summit where European leaders were unable to persuade Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to remove his opposition to the crucial Ukrainian aid package.
During the meeting, EU leadership criticized Hungary’s stance as unacceptable, according to EU Council President Antonio Costa.
“A deal is a deal, we need to honour our word. And no one can blackmail the European Council,” Costa declared.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz revealed that European leaders had directed the European Commission to explore alternative funding mechanisms for the loan. He characterized Orban’s opposition as an unprecedented “act of serious disloyalty.”
“This will leave its mark,” Merz stated. “This is a serious violation of the principle of loyalty of the member states amongst each other, and it damages the standing of the European Union.”
