The Kremlin says Ukraine and Moldova’s EU membership is aimed at harming Russia

The Kremlin said this Friday that the decision to open EU accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia is aimed at “harming Russia” and warned that the accession of these countries would “destabilize” the bloc.

At a press conference held this Friday, a day after the European Council began accession negotiations, Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that these countries “do not meet the criteria” for joining the European Union and believes that the decision “It’s just politicized.”

Peskov praised Hungary’s position, saying it was defending its interests “unlike many European countries,” referring to the fact that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked new EU aid to Ukraine.

“Hungary is a sovereign country, it has its own interests. And, unlike many European countries, it firmly defends its interests, which we appreciate,” said a representative of the Russian president.

Russia has been waging an offensive in Ukraine for almost two years, and Viktor Orban is the only EU leader who maintains close ties to the Kremlin.

Despite the Hungarian veto, the heads of state and government of the European Union hope to reach an agreement at the beginning of 2024 on the continuation of financial assistance to Ukraine.

“We reached a text acceptable to the 26 member states, but it was impossible to convince Prime Minister Orbán to accept it. It looks like we will have to reorganize next year to reach an agreement or find an alternative solution,” he said this Friday. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar arrived at the leaders’ summit in Brussels on the second day of work.

Hungary’s veto prevented an agreement this morning on a €50 billion aid package for Ukraine over the next four years, despite remaining member states backing the latest proposal to revise the 2021-2027 community budget that includes that aid.

Instead of continuing negotiations this Friday, the leaders decided to postpone a decision until January in order to try to persuade Hungary to join the consensus and include aid to Kyiv in the community budget, although there is an opportunity to continue funding. Ukraine has an intergovernmental agreement that excludes Budapest.

“The 26 EU member states can provide money bilaterally rather than through the EU’s multiannual financial framework or instruments, but that is not what we want. We think an agreement in 27 countries is possible and we want to see it happen. in the new year,” Varadkar said.

Orbán this Friday linked his support for aid to Ukraine to the release by the European Commission to Budapest of all the funds it has frozen due to violations of the rule of law, of which on Wednesday it had already allocated 10.2 billion euros after the reform. in the Hungarian justice was approved.