HUNGARY Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived at the European Union summit today determined to derail attempts by fellow leaders to launch membership talks for Ukraine.

Arriving at the meeting, Orban told reporters Ukraine has not met “merit-based” criteria to join the EU, and that the issue should not even be discussed.

“There is no reason to discuss anything because preconditions were not met,” Orban said, citing the European Commission’s advice to leaders on Ukraine’s reform progress.

“We’re not going to move away from this,” he warned.

The European Commission advised the 27 EU members Ukraine was making good progress towards enacting the necessary political and judicial reforms to meet the bloc’s standards.

Most EU leaders want this week’s summit to approve the start of formal membership talks, in a sign of solidarity with Ukraine almost 22 months after Russia launched an all-out invasion.

They also want to approve a €50 billion (RM254.7 billion) four-year financial aid package for Kyiv.

But decisions must be unanimous, and Orban said any aid would have to be enacted outside the EU budget, adding he would not allow membership talks to begin.

“Enlargement is a merit-based, legally detailed process which has preconditions,” he said.

“We have set up seven preconditions and even by the evaluation of the commission, three out of the seven are not fulfilled, so there is no reason to negotiate the membership of Ukraine now.”

Orban said some believe Ukraine would be ready by March.

On the €50 billion, Orban asked why Brussels could not wait until after European Parliament elections in June so a new leadership could consider the issue.

“On the money for Ukraine, in the short term it’s already in the budget. It’s just if you would like to give longer term and bigger money, we have to manage outside the budget, and we support it,” he said.

Draft conclusions for the summit, which is due to run from today to tomorrow but may stretch longer, suggest other EU members would prefer to inscribe the financing in the EU budget. – AFP, December 14, 2023.