OAN’s James Meyers
9:34 AM – Thursday, February 1, 2024
European Union leaders have agreed to another financial aid package for Ukraine.
The leaders of the 27 European Union countries agreed to the $54 billion package on Thursday, despite repeated pushback from Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban vowing to block the aid package since December.
European Council President Charles Michel announced the agreement from Brussels on X.
“We have a deal,” Michel said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He said the agreement “locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine,” and demonstrated that the “EU is taking leadership and responsibility in support for Ukraine; we know what is at stake.”
The agreement comes as a surprise after Orban objected to the aid package multiple times recently and threatened to do the same in recent days.
“The mood this morning was not good. Nobody was expecting this,” said a diplomat.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the move was a very important decision.
“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,” Zelenskyy wrote Thursday on X.
Additionally, it was reported that multiple fellow leaders accused Orban of blackmail and playing political games before the meeting started.
The aid package will be used to boost Ukraine’s economy, cash for hospitals, schools and civil servants wages and pensions.
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