A week ahead of an extraordinary European summit on Thursday 1 February, intense negotiations are still under way in the Council of the European Union to try to reach an agreement among the EU27 on an extension to the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including substantial macro-financial aid to Ukraine.
At a meeting of Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) on Wednesday 24 January, several Member States once again explicitly expressed their desire to find a compromise that would satisfy all EU countries, including Hungary.
The latter has confirmed that “intensive consultations” are underway in Brussels and Budapest to find a “solution acceptable to all 27 Member States”, according to several European diplomats.
The ‘negotiating box’, as presented in December by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, still remains the main working basis for negotiators in the EU Council (see EUROPE 13314/2).
On the Hungarian side, however, it has been confirmed that negotiations are also continuing on the proposal to exclude from the MFF the ‘Ukraine Facility’, the instrument which will make it possible to implement macro-financial aid to Ukraine (see EUROPE 13325/1).
In addition, the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, has already stated his desire to give priority to providing financial support to Kyiv on an annual basis (see EUROPE 13331/26). (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit)