The bloc doesn’t have enough money to support Kiev, the Hungarian leader has said

The European Union does not have the means to realistically support Ukraine during its conflict with Russia, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said. He made his comments on Thursday, following a contentious meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. 

“The EU doesn’t have a single penny left. It has spent all of its money,” Orban told the YouTube channel Patriota. “[The EU] talks about wanting to continue arming Ukraine, maintaining the Ukrainian army, and funding the functioning of the Ukrainian state… but can’t find any money in its pockets. I think it’s empty promises,” the prime minister added.

Orban stressed that the conflict has taken a toll on the economies of EU members. He urged Brussels to support US President Donald Trump’s efforts to mediate a peace between Russia and Ukraine. “We must not allow Hungarian families to continue to continue to pay for the economic consequences of the war,” he said.

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On Thursday, Budapest refused to sign a joint EU communique calling for an increase in military aid to Kiev. “We will not allow a common European position to be formed that includes Hungary and is pro-war,” Orban told reporters following the meeting of EU leaders.

Budapest has repeatedly exercised its veto powers to block or delay aid packages while arguing that the bloc must avoid further escalation with Russia and focus on diplomacy.

The EU members have failed to agree on €40 billion ($43 billion) in additional military support for Ukraine. Italy and Spain reportedly rejected the plan spearheaded by the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, as too costly.

According to Politico, diplomats from “half a dozen countries” privately bashed Kallas’ proposal on Wednesday, with one diplomat calling the plan “botched.” Euronews reported that some officials declared the plan “dead” after it failed to gain traction during a meeting in Brussels.