Italian PM 'pushes' Orban to unlock Ukraine aid, says Bloomberg
Photo: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (Getty Images)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is attempting to persuade Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to support aid for Ukraine, reports Bloomberg.
Meloni has urged Orban to withdraw his opposition to European Union support for Ukraine and improve relations with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the article, progress on these issues may pave the way for Orban's party, Fidesz, to join the far-right political party European Conservatives and Reformists alongside Italy's Brothers of Meloni, the Polish right-wing party Law and Justice, and the nationalist party Sweden Democrats.
The negotiations underscore Meloni's foreign policy ambitions as she seeks to play the role of an influential mediator within the EU.
Meloni is also pushing Orban to change his approach regarding Ukraine's aspirations for EU membership and to reset relations with Kyiv as a condition for joining the ECR.
EU assistance to Ukraine
Recall that last year, the European Union proposed allocating 50 billion euros to Ukraine by 2027. Unanimous consent from all countries is required to approve such a decision, and Hungary has vetoed it.
We reported that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that EU countries would approve 50 billion for Ukraine, even without Hungary's agreement.
It is worth noting that Orban unilaterally blocked the EU's financial aid package for Ukraine amounting to 50 billion euros, infuriating 26 other leaders in the bloc.
However, over time, the Hungarian Prime Minister acknowledged that the EU could allocate 50 billion euros to Ukraine without the consent of his country.
