VILNIUS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and visiting European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton hope that the European Council will agree on a support package for Ukraine in early February, despite opposition from Hungary.
"All the other members agree and see the situation in exactly the same way, with the exception of Hungary, but nobody has put their hands up yet and work is going on very intensively. Discussion are underway and we are looking for solutions to have a 27-nation solution," Simonyte told a joint press conference following her meeting with Breton.
Simonyte also noted that all other solutions, which are theoretically possible within the framework of inter-state special treaties or special schemes, are sub-optimal as they would reflect a difference in opinions.
"It is very important that we have a unanimous decision, a decision made by 27 member states, and I hope that European leaders will have the wisdom to find such a solution on February 1," the prime minister said.
For his part, Breton says that European leaders, despite their disagreements, will eventually find solutions.
"Of course, this is Europe, we dissent and then we find ways together. I trust that we will find a way like always," he said.
In December, European leaders failed to approve a 50 billion euro four-year aid package for Ukraine. Kyiv needs this money to keep its war-torn economy going, but the decision was blocked by Hungary, and now EU leaders hope to reach an agreement at an extraordinary European Council meeting in February.
Please enter your username and password.
2024 © The Baltic Times /Cookies Policy
