Ukraine, Russia fight from the skies as Kyiv’s EU aid hangs in the balance
Al Jazeera
As a key summit focuses on aid, Russia says it will increase air defence missile production as air wars are fought over Ukraine.
The European Union is gripped by a crucial summit on Thursday that will be dominated by a second attempt to pass a 50-billion-euro ($54bn) amendment to the bloc’s budget that will help finance Ukraine over the next four years.
That amendment was vetoed by Hungary at last December’s regular summit, along with 20 billion euros ($22bn) in military aid to Ukraine for 2024.
The EU’s executive, the European Commission, was reportedly hoping to bring Hungary on board by offering Prime Minister Viktor Orban an opportunity to block a continuation of the support next year, when the EU would re-evaluate whether Ukraine still meets the requirements to receive the money.
That tenor of conciliation changed by Sunday, when the Financial Times reported the EU also had a plan to sabotage Hungary’s economy if it refused to cooperate.
Details of the plan were secret, but the EU has leverage.
