In 24 hours, the leaders of the 27 countries of the European Union will meet in Brussels for a key European council for the future of the Union. They should launch the procedure for the accession of Ukraine and Moldova. A decisive step in the middle of the war with Russia. The standoff with Hungary still needs to be resolved because Viktor Orban is currently refusing to give his vote, which is essential for membership. At the European Parliament in Strasbourg, elected officials denounce a hostage-taking by Hungary.
2 mins
With our special correspondent in Strasbourg, Julien Chavanne
Without him, there will be no accession of Ukraine to the European Union and no release of the 50 billion euros in aid planned for kyiv. So how can Viktor Orban bend? Staying firm on principles assures Iratxe Garcia Perez, the Spanish president of the Socialists and Democrats group. “ We are not going to let these threats go by. We must not trade our values for money and give in to Orban’s blackmail as some want to do at the European Council. »
But the reality principle is about to prevail. To soften Budapest, the European Commission should release 10 billion euros. Funds frozen by the EU for failure to respect the rule of law in Hungary. The right in the European Parliament is ready to follow, under certain conditions. Manfred Weber is the leader of the European People’s Party. “ If there is progress in certain countries, then we must have the courage to release these funds. But it’s not just a legal issue. We must be sure that there are real changes on the ground. »
The EU has no real choice but to give in to Viktor Orban. “ If we say no to Ukraine’s possible candidacy, we send a disastrous message to kyiv, at a difficult time », says a left-wing French MP.
Read alsoEU Summit: Orban calls for postponement of two key decisions for Ukraine