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Hungary refuses to discuss EU funding for military assistance to Ukraine

"Ukraine has put the largest Hungarian bank, OTP, on the list of 'international sponsors of war.' As long as OTP is not removed from this list, we will not continue negotiations on financing [military aid to Ukraine]," Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky said

Hungarian Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky Geoffroy Van der Hasselt/Pool via AP

Hungarian Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky

© Geoffroy Van der Hasselt/Pool via AP

BUDAPEST, August 30. /TASS/. Hungary has refused to discuss EU funding for military aid to Ukraine as the government of that country still lists Hungary’s OTP bank as an "international sponsor of war," said Hungarian Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky.

He made the remarks in a video posted to Facebook (banned in Russia as it’s owned by Meta Corporation, which is designated as extremist in Russia) following an informal meeting with his EU counterparts that took place in the Spanish city of Toledo.

"Ukraine has put the largest Hungarian bank, OTP, on the list of 'international sponsors of war.' I explained at the meeting that this is unacceptable. As long as OTP is not removed from this list, we will not continue negotiations on financing [military aid to Ukraine]," he said.

Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell said after the meeting that the EU plans to set up a fund for military assistance to Ukraine for 2024-2027 that would be able to spend 5 billion euros every year.

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