Victor Orban got exactly what he wanted from crunch EU summit
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Viktor Orban cut a lonely figure when the European Union agreed to open negotiations for Ukraine to join the bloc.
In the weeks running up to the crunch European summit in Brussels, the Hungarian prime minister had insisted that Kyiv did not deserve to be allowed to join the bloc.
He ultimately relented – opting for a tactical coffee outside the meeting room to allow for the leaders to make the decision without him.
But when it came to discussions over a €50 billion package of financial support for Ukraine, he wasn’t so accommodating.
The Hungarian prime minister vetoed the aid plan, throwing into doubt Europe’s backing for Kyiv and making Europe and the West look weak.
Mr Orban won’t leave Brussels with any new fans.
But he will, crucially, leave the city with €10.2 billion.
Cold reality
And therein lies the cold reality of why Hungary won’t support Ukraine – for now.
There is a long list, well-publicised by Mr Orban, of grievances with his neighbours.
The Hungarian prime minister is seen as the Kremlin’s closest ally in Europe, and is the bloc’s only leader to meet with Vladimir Putin this year.
Budapest has repeatedly demanded for European sanctions on Moscow to be watered down and doesn’t send weapons to Ukraine.
Hungary continues to import Russian fossil fuel, arguing it is vital to keeping the lights on in the country.
There has been bad blood between Mr Orban and Volodymyr Zelensky since the moment the Ukrainian president berated him in a video address to EU leaders at a summit a month after the war broke out last year.
Mr Zelensky was even recommended to stay away from Brussels this week amid fears his presence could provoke the Hungarian when key decisions are being made.
And Hungary’s complaints with Ukraine pre-date the current leadership.
Since 2014, Budapest has accused Kyiv of curtailing the rights of a Hungarian minority living near their shared frontier, arguing they no longer had access to Hungarian language education and media.
Orban knows his price
But Mr Orban and his allies have hinted that all these are for sale. And Mr Orban knows his price.
The EU owes Hungary about €30 billion, funding that has been withheld as a punishment for eroding democracy.
Mr Orban wants what is his, and in the Ukraine row he has spotted his opportunity.
Earlier in the week he managed to squeeze €10 billion out of his European colleagues. But he won’t stop there.
When EU leaders return in January for emergency talks over the budget, Mr Orban will know his stance will likely unlock more cash.
It’s a tactic he has often used.
The failure over Ukraine funding has delayed a key tranche of war aid and embarrassed his fellow EU leaders.
Keen EU observers will know that Eurocrats will likely find a way eventually.
Mr Orban will be confident that a deal will be to his advantage.
