Hungary backs EU financial aid for Ukraine

Hungary, like other European Union member states, is prepared to support with guarantees the disbursement of EU aid to Ukraine, Finance Minister Mihály Varga said in Prague on Friday.

Hungary has so far provided over 28 billion forints (EUR 70.5m) worth of aid to Ukraine and has taken in more than 900,000 refugees from its north-eastern neighbour, the finance ministry cited Varga as saying after an informal meeting with his EU counterparts.

The Hungarian government has been calling for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks since the beginning of the conflict, Varga said, noting that Hungary still does not allow the transit of weapons deliveries through its territory. At the same time, he added, Hungary supports providing financial aid to Ukraine with a view to mitigating the damage caused by the war, with a fair sharing of the burdens.

• Read also: Hungarian-speaking Ukrainian soldiers tortured Russian soldier with the Hungarian Erős Pista — VIDEO

Hungary and Ukraine’s other neighbouring EU member states are forced to bear financial burdens of the effects of the war that other member states do not, Varga said, adding that this, too, should be taken into consideration when providing joint aid.

The EU and its financial institutions disbursed close to 5 billion euros in loans to Ukraine between 2014 and 2021, the ministry said. Following the start of the war, EU leaders agreed in May to provide another 9 billion euros in aid to the country, 1 billion of which Ukraine received last month. EU finance ministers on Friday agreed on another 5 billion euro aid package for Ukraine, which will be followed by a further 3 billion euros before the end of the year, the ministry said.

Read alsoHungarian schoolbook caused scandal, Ukraine demands its rewriting

Source: MTI