Foreign affairs ministers of the European Union expressed their exasperation on Monday over Hungary's ongoing veto on military assistance for Ukraine, which amounts to €6.5 billion. The deadlock began a year ago when Hungary refused to endorse a €500 million tranche under the European Peace Facility (EPF), a tool that allows member states to obtain partial reimbursements for military equipment sent to Kyiv.

The frustration among EU diplomats escalated as member states agreed in March to top up the EPF with an additional €5 billion until the end of the year. However, Hungary's veto on the initial €500 million tranche has also affected two additional tranches of the same size, totaling €1.5 billion. This impasse has created a blockage that prevents the release of the next €5 billion, obstructing EU aid to Ukraine. Consequently, countries have resorted to bilateral donations that bypass Brussels.

Ukraine's urgent need for military support amidst a new offensive by Russian troops in the northeast region has intensified the pressure on Hungary. Members of the EU firmly called out Hungary's obstruction, emphasizing the importance of assisting Ukraine militarily. Belgium's Hadja Lahbib expressed disappointment that a single country could block crucial aid that it had previously signed in favor of during a summit between heads of state. Estonia's Margus Tsahkna echoed similar sentiments, stating that Hungary's vetoes on important initiatives continuously hamper progress.

The frustration towards Hungary's actions reached a boiling point, with Lithuania's Gabrielius Landsbergis accusing Hungary of having a systematic approach to undermine the EU's role in foreign affairs. Landsbergis cited Hungary's actions regarding Ukraine's accession process and Georgia's "foreign influence" law as instances where Budapest attempted to derail collective decisions. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's policies that favor Russia and his demands to dilute sanctions have also defied the Western consensus.

The reasons behind Hungary's veto have puzzled officials in Brussels. Initially, Budapest refused to endorse the €500 million tranche due to Ukraine's anti-corruption agency blacklisting Hungary's OTP Bank as an "international sponsor of war." Although OTP Bank was eventually removed from the blacklist, Hungary maintained its veto, seeking unconditional guarantees against similar incidents. Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó claimed that Hungarian companies were systematically discriminated against in Ukraine.

EU diplomats view Hungary's reasoning as capricious and unfounded, fearing that the EPF obstruction could jeopardize a new agreement to use extraordinary revenues from Russia's immobilized assets. This project could provide between €2.5 and €3 billion annually, primarily for weapons and ammunition supplies to Ukraine. While Hungary did not block the legal deal on immobilized assets, it could still use its veto power to impede the release of fresh funding.

In response to the deadlock, Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, urged Hungary to break the gridlock, emphasizing the need for proportional action. Borrell highlighted that Hungary had safeguards in place to ensure their contributions would not finance military equipment destined for Ukraine. He stressed that Ukraine urgently requires support, as delays in assistance can have severe consequences in terms of human lives.

The continuous impasse over military aid to Ukraine has created divisions within the EU and has put Hungary's relations with other member states under strain. The meetings between foreign affairs ministers have become increasingly filled with frustration as Hungary's vetoes hinder progress and obstruct the bloc's unified actions.