Hungary 'betraying' EU by holding up Ukraine funding, says Helen McEntee

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha and minister for foreign affairs Helen McEntee visit the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen Defenders of Ukraine outside St Michael's Cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine. Picture: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

Hungary is "betraying" the EU by holding up a funding package for Ukraine and moving closer to Moscow, foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee has said.

EU foreign ministers in February failed to break the deadlock over the Hungarian government’s veto on crucial European policies relating to a €90bn funding for Ukraine for the next two years. 

Budapest is also vetoing the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

On Tuesday, a group of five European media outlets published what they said was a phone call between Peter Szijjártó and the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, which discussed plans to amend the EU’s sanctions list to Moscow’s liking.

Speaking in Kyiv on Wednesday, Ms McEntee said that she believed that Hungary had betrayed the bloc by siding with Russia.

"It's very difficult for me as a foreign minister to sit around a table knowing that there's a member there that you can't trust who has essentially betrayed that unity among member states," Ms McEntee said.

"This was very clearly a conversation where there was direction and response by a member state that worked against Europe as a whole and works against Ukraine."

Ms McEntee said that the Ukrainian war with Russia "is about European security" and that the EU should find a way around the Hungarian and Moldovan blockages of aid for Ukraine, and said that Ireland's upcoming presidency of the EU could be used in that way.

"This is a member state from within that has betrayed that confidence, and that is working against us. 

"And I think we need to find a way in which we can respond, in which we can make progress, whether it's on sanctions, whether it's in the €90bn loan, or whether it's on blocking EU accession, and we have to work together to do that. 

"We'll work with the commission and in the upcoming presidency if there are ways that we can make progress, but we haven't to date; that's something I'd be very keen to do."

While in Kyiv on Wednesday, Ms McEntee met with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said that the two had discussed Irish support for Ukraine's energy security and rebuilding, as well as what each country could learn from the other in terms of military defence.

Ms McEntee also announced an additional €40m in humanitarian and long-term development assistance is to be provided to Ukraine this year.

She said that the new funding will "provide both urgent humanitarian assistance and longer-term development support in 2026". 

The figure builds on the €25m announced in February to help repair Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure, bringing Ireland’s total support this year to €65m.

Ireland’s funding will provide emergency shelter, medical care, maternal healthcare, and essential supports to those most affected, particularly people in frontline areas and children. 

This assistance will be delivered through a range of trusted partners, including UN agencies and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, ensuring that help reaches those most in need.

The €40m announced today includes over €26m in humanitarian assistance and almost €14m in long-term development and peacebuilding support.

Ms McEntee also opened Ireland's permanent embassy in the city, paying tribute to ambassador Jonathan Conlan and his team for their work in developing the facility.

Paul Hosford: Acting political editor, in Kyiv