Hungary on Friday blocked the European Union from approving a $54 billion financial aid package for Ukraine, hours after EU leaders agreed to officially open accession negotiations for Ukraine to join the bloc.
Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said that all but one of the E.U.’s 27 countries backed the package of 50 billion euros, in financial support for Ukraine.
“One leader couldn’t agree on this,” Mr. Michel said at a 3 a.m. news conference, referring to President Viktor Orban of Hungary.
He said leaders would reconvene early next month to try to reach unanimous agreement, which is required for the plan to go through.
Mr. Orban, who in the past has delayed some EU sanctions against Russia and is seen as President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in the bloc, had said on Thursday that the aid should be extended only after Europe-wide elections planned for the summer.
The agreement on EU membership talks came at a crucial time for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
EU accession will take years, but Thursday’s announcement was a symbolic victory that was likely to anger Putin, who says Ukraine’s European ambitions are a form of aggression.
“This is a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens,” Mr. Zelensky said on X after the vote.
PHOTOS: EU greenlights accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova as Orbán abstains
