(Finance) – Hungary’s veto stops the eighth tranche of the repayment of military aid to Kiev within the framework of European Peace Facility. At the Council of Foreign Affairs, the European ministers, in fact, cannot find an agreement to disburse the tranche of the value of 500 million for weapons destined for Ukraine.
Budapest has allegedly demanded “guarantees” that the EPF will maintain its “global” horizon in the future and not be used solely to arm Kiev. The Epf reimburses member states – normally at 50% but there is no fixed standard – che donated war material to Ukraine.
Hungary, therefore, ready to block any new package of sanctions against the Russia unless Kiev removes Hungarian bank OTP from its list of war sponsors, Budapest foreign minister said Peter Szijjarto. “We can not give green light as long as Otp remains blacklisted”said Szijjarto, adding that “the same also applies to sanctions”. “Frozen” also the eleventh sanction package: among the 27, in fact, “further investigations” were necessary. The ball will now pass to the next committee of permanent representatives, scheduled for next Wednesday.
“On the F16 we will all decide together, with our European partners and with NATO. As Italy does not have F16 equipment, it cannot supply any, but we will work to make a common decision with the allies”. The foreign minister had said Antonio Tajani aleaving the meeting with the president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.
But Rome should be part of the jet coalition F-16per Ukraine supported by Joe Biden at the G7 meeting in Hiroshima. Premier Giorgia Meloni, before leaving the Japanese G7, launched some clues: “The assessment to be made together with the allies is to possible training of Ukrainian pilots, but it is a decision that we have not taken and that is being discussed with the allies”.