Russian invasion The world's response

EU leaders rage against Orbán over blocking billion-dollar loan to Ukraine: "He betrayed us"

Several EU leaders are launching a harsh attack on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, accusing him of undermining the EU's decisions in an attempt to win the election at home, writes AP. The background is that Hungary vetoed and blocked a billion-dollar loan from the EU to Ukraine.

- He is using Ukraine as a weapon in his election campaign and that is not good. We had an agreement and I think he betrayed us, says Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is also critical and calls Orbán's actions blackmail.

- It is unacceptable for Hungary to block decisions that they once helped make, Kristersson tells TT.

Orbán said earlier this week that he will continue to say no to EU money for Ukraine as long as the pipeline that transports Russian oil to Hungary via Ukraine is not working.

– No oil, no money, he said.

EU may revoke Hungary's voting rights after Orbán's blockade

If Viktor Orbán wins the election in April, a "serious discussion" awaits on how the EU should handle Hungary's role in the union. This is what a diplomatic source tells Politico ahead of Thursday's EU summit in Brussels.

Hungary is currently blocking a billion-euro loan from the EU to Ukraine and earlier this week Orbán said he will continue to stand firm in his no. Politico writes that it is clear that Hungary has crossed a red line and that several EU countries are starting to get tired of Orbán's behavior.

It is still unclear what the EU could do to reduce Hungary's influence. One option that has been raised is to use the EU's Article 7, which in practice means that Hungary loses its voting rights in the EU Council of Ministers.

– Prime Minister Orbán should understand that he is constantly testing the limits of what other member states are willing to agree to. This cannot continue, says another diplomatic source.
Russian invasion • The world's response
Reports: Orbán does not back down – continues to block the EU's billion-euro loan to Ukraine

EU leaders have failed to convince Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to lift his veto and release a billion-euro loan to Ukraine, officials told Reuters.

SVT Nyheter also has the same information. The site writes that there was an "unusually harsh tone" at the summit, which is currently underway in Brussels.

EU leaders, including Orbán, agreed on an emergency loan of 90 billion euros to Ukraine in December last year. Since then, Hungary has stopped the loan from being disbursed, which has caused several EU leaders to rage and accuse him of using Ukraine in his own election campaign.

Orbán said earlier this week that he will continue to say no to EU money for Ukraine as long as the pipeline that transports Russian oil to Hungary via Ukraine is not working.

Reports: Orbán not backing down – continues to block EU billion-euro loan to Ukraine

EU leaders have failed to convince Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to lift his veto and release a billion-euro loan to Ukraine, officials told Reuters.

SVT Nyheter also has the same information. The site writes that there was an "unusually harsh tone" at the summit, which is currently underway in Brussels.

EU leaders, including Orbán, agreed on an emergency loan of 90 billion euros to Ukraine in December last year. Since then, Hungary has stopped the loan from being disbursed, which has caused several EU leaders to rage and accuse him of using Ukraine in his own election campaign.

Orbán said earlier this week that he will continue to say no to EU money for Ukraine as long as the pipeline that transports Russian oil to Hungary via Ukraine is not working.