The European Union executive has approved over $980 million in payments to Hungary as the bloc seeks to overcome Budapest’s veto of aid to Ukraine, Reuters has informed.

Earlier, the EU locked Hungary out of the bloc’s economic stimulus due to concerns over corruption under Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

In turn, Hungary blocked EU decisions to grant Ukraine 50 billion euros in economic aid through 2027 and start accession talks with Kyiv.

Budapest also stalled a plan to extend 20 billion euros in EU military aid to Kyiv and is against sanctions on Russia.

On 22 November, Politico reported that Orbán threatened to block the EU’s assistance for Ukraine and the country’s future accession a letter to EU Council chief Charles Michel. 

Politico: Hungarian Prime Minister Orban threatens to block Ukraine from joining EU

The Hugarian prime minister called on the EU Council to hold a “strategic discussion” on Ukraine at an EU meeting in Brussels in mid-December and warned that Hungary might block the aid amid decreasing assistance from the US.