EU agrees €50 billion Ukrainian aid deal after Orbán folds

EU leaders approved a package of €50 billion to Ukraine, preventing a veto from Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán, the only Putin friend of such rank in the EU leadership. After closed-door discussions with European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of France, Germany and Italy, Orbán agreed to unblock the four-year-long financial assistance package. Most of the credit goes to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron, whose efforts included telephone conversations, personal meetings and even some “wining and dining”, Politico reports. The €50 billion will help Ukraine to stabilise its economy until 2027, but has nothing to do with weaponry supplies. The latter is still blocked by Orbán.