Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated upon arriving at the European Union summit in Brussels that the initiative to provide Ukraine with reparations loans from frozen assets of the Russian Federation has reached a dead end. He believes that this proposal lacks sufficient support among EU member states.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“I think it is obvious: this is a dead end, it is all over. There is not enough high-level support behind it,” Orban said while speaking to journalists in Brussels.
Hungary’s Position and the Blocking Minority
According to Orban, a group of countries opposing the introduction of such a mechanism has already formed within the EU, and this is enough to create a blocking minority. He emphasized that he considers the issue of reparations loans to be futile, as opposition among member states is growing.
Viktor Orban also stressed that Hungary will not support any financial mechanisms that involve joint guarantees or obligations without the approval of the national parliament. The Prime Minister reminded of the relevant provision in the Hungarian Constitution that prohibits the government from undertaking financial obligations without the consent of the deputies, and expressed doubt about the possibility of obtaining such support.
Criticism of the Idea of Funding Through Frozen Russian Assets
Orban criticized the very idea of using frozen assets of the Russian Federation to support Ukraine, calling it unacceptable and risky for the EU. He noted that this could lead to the EU’s direct involvement in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and agreed with the Belgian Prime Minister’s opinion that the EU should not resort to such measures.
His statement came amid ongoing negotiations among European Union countries regarding the future financial support mechanism for Ukraine in 2026–2027. A separate point dedicated to launching reparations loans for Ukraine has already appeared in the new draft conclusions of the EU summit. However, this point has not yet been agreed upon and must be approved by the leaders of states and governments during the summit on December 18.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, arriving at the summit, expressed confidence that EU leaders would find a solution for financing Ukraine over the next two years. At the same time, diplomats acknowledge that reaching a compromise remains a challenging task.
According to preliminary estimates, the reparations loan being discussed in the EU could provide Ukraine with up to 90 billion euros over two years from the income and balances of frozen Russian assets, which are estimated to total around 210 billion euros in Europe.