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.