EU agrees to open membership talks with Ukraine in major next step for war-torn nation
von der leyen
The EU has agreed to start accession talks with Ukraine in what is a major breakthrough for the war-torn nation.
The agreement came yesterday at the EU Summit.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been opposed to the move, left the room while the vote took place to allow a unanimous decision.
But he blocked the EU's plans to send £43 billion (€50 billion) in aid to Ukraine.
The aid negotiations will resume next year, EU leaders said
PA
The aid negotiations will resume next year, EU leaders said.
Commenting on Mr Orban's opposition to the aid, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said: "We still have some time, Ukraine is not out of money in the next few weeks."
He added: "We agreed with the 26 countries. Viktor Orban, Hungary, were not yet able to do that.
"I am fairly confident we can get a deal early next year. We are thinking of late January."
But Orban said: "Summary of the nightshift: veto for the extra money to Ukraine".
Orban has been in a battle with the EU in recent months, repeatedly blocking EU plans to continue providing financial support to Ukraine.
He had previously threatened to derail the EU's plan to grant Ukraine membership, saying Hungary would not take a decision on the nation's accession to the bloc until EU leaders held a "strategic discussion" on the issue.
In comments made ahead of the EU summit, Orban warned Von der Leyen that the bloc is "about to make a terrible mistake".
Speaking about the union's plans to begin membership talks with Ukraine - and provide 50 billion euros in financial aid - Orban said: "The European Union is about to make a terrible mistake, and they must be stopped.
"This is a mistake; we are destroying the European Union."
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Von der Leyen appears to be backed into a corner by Hungary, who are demanding around €30 billion in EU funding in exchange for the nation lifting its veto on support for Ukraine.
Brussels yesterday confirmed that it will release some €10 billion in EU funds, which were frozen over corruption and rule of law concerns.
But Orban's political director, Balázs Orbán, said they would only lift their veto if Brussels handed over all the money it had frozen - amounting to 30 billion.
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