Frustration among European Union member states is growing as Hungary holds up a new aid deal for Ukraine. 

A senior EU official said Budapest was making the process “more complicated” in an interview with Reuters.  

Hungary, along with a handful of other countries such as Turkey, has maintained close relations with Moscow despite the EU’s wider policy of condemnation and sanctions against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine early in 2022. 

Budapest has also expressed scepticism about Ukraine’s NATO and EU membership aspirations, leading to even more strain on the relationship between Viktor Orban’s government and Kyiv. 

“The negotiation is getting a bit more complicated … the position of Hungary has not really been flexible,” said the senior EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity. 

The official added there was an increasing level of frustration with Hungary among the other EU member states which want to give more aid to Ukraine. 

“No member state wants to embark on a situation where you would have to go through unanimity to deliver support to Ukraine,” the official said. 

Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said yesterday that Kyiv was hoping to organise a visit that would see Mr Orban come to Ukraine in the hopes of improving ties.