A robust and united position among EU member states convinced Viktor Orbán to end his “blackmail” and support a €50bn (£43bn) funding package for Ukraine, European prime ministers have said.
The Hungarian prime minister, who had been vowing to block the funds since December, performed one of the fastest U-turns seen at a leaders’ summit after six weeks of brinkmanship.
There was relief that the deal was finally done but also a sense of fury among leaders who had been dragged to Brussels for the second time in as many months to try to get the package over the line after Orbán blocked the aid in December.
The Finnish prime minister, Petteri Orpo, said: “Nobody can blackmail 26 countries of the EU. Our values were not for sale.”
Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, who said he had “nothing nice” to say to the Hungarian prime minister, warned there would be no reward for Orbán or anyone who had tried to solicit “rotten compromises”.
With support for Ukraine’s war effort faltering in Washington, leaders stressed the importance of the decision which would help underwrite Ukraine’s public services including teachers, doctors and soldiers’ pay for the next four years.
Europe’s support was “united and unanimous” and not torn asunder by one Kremlin- friendly country, said the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
“The message is clear, Russia cannot count on any fatigue from Europeans in their support for Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said the decision was one of “historic proportions” which would demonstrate to Vladimir Putin that talk of “fatigue or waning support” is simply false.
Orban finally succumbed to pressure after a series of 11th-hour meetings with the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, as well as the European Commission and Council presidents, Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel.
“I think he was not seeing any more options. He cashed in,” said one senior source.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said the decision “once again proves strong EU unity”.
“Continued EU financial support for Ukraine will strengthen long-term economic and financial stability, which is no less important than military assistance and sanctions pressure on Russia,” he said.
Sources said that Orbán knew the game was up on Thursday morning, when he was invited to a pre-summit meeting with a number of leaders just before 9.30am.
“He had been told by sherpas and in phone calls that nobody was supporting him and he wanted to test that face to face. He got his answer. He was completely isolated,” said a source in one delegation.
By 11.30am, a deal was done after the addition of two new paragraphs to an official communique on the agreement.
“He didn’t get anything,” said one source close to those in the room.
One new paragraph calls for the European Council to invite the European Commission to review the budgetary framework in two years’ time but with no option for a veto.
A further paragraph restating a mechanism which allows the EU to freeze funds to any member state that does not comply with the rule of law was also added on Thursday morning.
Announcing the deal, Michel tweeted: “We have a deal. #Unity All 27 leaders agreed on an additional €50bn support package for Ukraine within the EU budget.
“This locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for #Ukraine.
“EU is taking leadership & responsibility in support for Ukraine; we know what is at stake.”
Orbán claimed he had secured a diplomatic victory by extracting guarantees that money that had been due to go to Hungary, but was frozen by the EU over rule of law concerns, would not go to Ukraine.
“Last night, this morning, we received an offer, and we finally negotiated a control mechanism to guarantee that the money is used sensibly,” he said in a post on X.
European leaders expressed their frustration and anger with Orbán on the way into the summit.
By 11.30am some of the leaders were talking of going home early, furious that they had been dragged to Brussels only for Orbán to cave to pressure at the last minute.
But also on the agenda at the summit is the Middle East and extra military funds for Ukraine.
