Hungary alone once again halts €500 million tranche in military aid to Ukraine

Hungary has blocked the payment of a tranche of military aid to Ukraine from the European Peace Facility due to "guarantees" for Hungarian companies, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Péter Szijjártó has announced, according to The Guardian. Radio Liberty correspondent Rikard Jozwiak also confirmed this on X (Twitter).

"Another discussion on Ukraine in Brussels today among the 27 foreign ministers of the European Union. and still a blockage over the 8th tranche (500 million) of EU military aid for Ukraine," Jozwiak wrote.

Szijjártó said that Hungary will block the allocation of the next tranche of military aid to Ukraine under the European Peace Facility until the country provides "guarantees" that OTP bank or other Hungarian firms will not be blacklisted as "international war sponsors", The Guardian wrote.

Two EU countries – Hungary and Slovakia, where pro-Russian politician Robert Fico recently took over as the PM – opposed the allocation of 50 billion euros to Ukraine at the EU summit.

On October 27, Slovakia said it was ready to increase its contribution to the EU budget over the next four years by 400 million euros in order for Ukraine to receive an aid package of 50 billion euros, under certain conditions.

On November 10, EU representatives said that the bloc would be able to bypass any Hungarian veto and provide Ukraine with 50 billion euros ($53.4 billion) in aid.