Hungary has blocked a proposed EU security assurances and military assistance proposal for Ukraine ahead of a key summit due on March 6, Vedomosti reports.

Following the notorious press conference that descended into a shouting match between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and US President Donald Trump on February 28, Europe has been scrambling to shore up support for Ukraine after it appears the US has cut off all assistance.

The heads of some of Europe’s most powerful countries met in London on March 2 to outline plans to help Kyiv in its struggle against Russian aggressions as a “coalition of the willing” but a more formal EU summit has been slated for later the same week. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was not invited to London, as he is known to be a Russia supporter.

Nevertheless, internal divisions within the bloc's approach to the ongoing conflict by other countries mean getting an EU agreement in place will prove hard. During a meeting of EU ambassadors on February 28, Budapest opposed the draft text, which outlined potential security guarantees the EU might extend to Kyiv and detailed a new package of military aid for the nation.

Orban has recently called for the EU to engage in direct negotiations with Russia to establish a ceasefire in Ukraine. Orban has expressed reservations about Ukraine's immediate accession to the EU, suggesting that such a decision would contradict Hungary's national interests. He stated, "It will destroy us. First of all, it will destroy Hungarian farmers and Hungarian agriculture; secondly, it will destroy the entire Hungarian national economy." ​

The Hungarian premier’s stance has been consistent, as evidenced by Hungary's previous actions, including blocking EU statements pledging unwavering support for Ukraine and opposing sanctions against Russia. These actions have prompted discussions within the EU about forming "coalitions of the willing" to provide military and financial support to Ukraine, circumventing the need for unanimous approval from all member states. ​

The Hungarian government's position has raised concerns among other EU leaders, who are striving to present a united front in support of Ukraine. But as reported by bne IntelliNews, Ukraine’s worst nightmare has come true as Trump prepares to withdraw all support from Ukraine and cut business deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin instead. The upcoming EU summit in Brussels is expected to address these internal disagreements and explore mechanisms to ensure continued assistance to Kyiv, despite opposition from member states like Hungary. ​