EU chief says aid package for Ukraine will be approved 'with or without' Hungary's approval

The EU will approve a 50 billion euro aid package for Ukraine 'with or without' Hungary's approval, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Davos on Jan. 16.

"My personal priority is to have an agreement by 27. And if this is not possible, we are prepared for an agreement by 26."

In December 2023, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked the deal hours after the group agreed it would formally commence full membership talks with Ukraine.

Kyiv is critically dependent on funding from Western partners as it continues to battle Russian forces.

Ukraine is also waiting on a security assistance package worth over $60 billion from Washington. U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to meet with top congressional leaders on Jan. 17 to hammer out a deal for Ukraine and Israel.

Between August and October 2023, the amount of fresh aid to Ukraine decreased by 87% compared to the same period in 2022, according to a study by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

Study: Aid for Ukraine drops to lowest level since January 2022

Between August and October, the amount of newly committed aid to Ukraine decreased by 87% compared to the same period last year, according to a new study by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).

The Kyiv IndependentDinara Khalilova