Hungary warns: EU states far from consensus on support for Ukraine

European Union member states are “very far” from reaching a consensus on support for Ukraine and the European security architecture, Hungary’s European affairs minister said in Brussels, adding that member states had failed to settle certain “fundamental political disagreements” at a meeting on Tuesday.

János Bóka told a press conference after a meeting of the General Affairs Council that EU institutions should refrain from making “sweeping political statements” and setting target dates regarding Ukraine without the consensual support of European leaders or a European Council resolution. Hungary does not consider the matter of Ukraine’s accession to the EU one that relates to security guarantees, the minister said, adding that the bloc’s enlargement procedure should be objective and merit-based, and Ukraine was “no exception” in this regard.

EU affairs ministers, he said, had also prepared the European Council’s special summit scheduled for March 6 and the next regular summit on March 20-21. He noted that next week’s summit will focus on European defence and support for Ukraine, while the regular summit will be about competitiveness, migration and the next seven-year budget. Bóka said Hungary urged caution regarding the special summit so as to avoid the EU appearing divided.

Bóka said he believed the special summit had been convened in reaction to the direct talks between the United States and Russia, while it was unclear whether Europe could take part in those talks and, if so, in what form. He said this summit was unlikely to fully settle that question but would give EU leaders a chance to discuss it.