BUDAPEST, March 20. /TASS/. The Hungarian government will approve the draft EU budget for 2028-2034, which includes funding for Ukraine, only if it receives its own budget funds, which Brussels is withholding for political reasons. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced at a meeting with Hungarian journalists following an EU summit in Brussels.

He said that at the meeting, he explained Hungary's position to the leaders of other countries, a position he has made clear he will not abandon. "First of all, to adopt a new budget, the old one must be closed. This means that the funds that have not yet been allocated must be allocated. Otherwise, there will be no new budget," the head of government said, whose press conference was broadcast by the M1 television channel. He has previously stated repeatedly that Brussels is withholding approximately €20 billion in funds owed to Hungary from the current budget and special EU funds in order to extract concessions on various political issues.

Orban also warned that he would not support the European Commission's proposed EU budget for 2028-2034, as it includes excessively large allocations for aid to Ukraine. He estimated that approximately €360 billion would be allocated for this purpose over seven years. The prime minister noted that this would lead to significant financial and economic losses for all EU countries.