Meloni and Macron talk to Orban before EU summit to discuss funds for Ukraine

The leaders of Italy and France, Giorgia Meloni and Emmanuel Macron, met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban last night (31 January). Source: Index, with reference to Bertalan Havasi, Orban's press secretary  Details: Orban held talks with the Italian and French leaders in preparation for the EU summit on Thursday, the main issue of which is the approval of a four-year financial assistance programme for Ukraine worth EUR50 billion.

Orban himself posted a photo with Meloni on his Facebook account, which he captioned succinctly: "Meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the eve of the EU summit."

Orban did not report on his meeting with the French president on his social media. Orban is in Brussels on the eve of the summit, where the issue of a four-year, EUR50 billion financial assistance programme for Ukraine is to be decided. Background:

• Orban confirmed that last Saturday, Budapest sent a compromise agreement to Brussels to unblock EUR50 billion in EU funding for Ukraine.
• Orban said the compromise means that funding will be allocated to Ukraine on the condition that "you guarantee that every year we will decide whether we will continue to send this money or not".

  In short, this means that Hungary can block aid every year.

• According to media reports, EU leaders will propose that the idea of holding annual discussions on the planned EUR50 billion aid package for Ukraine be included in the EU summit decision to secure Hungary's support in approving the allocation of funds.

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