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December 15, 2023

EU to Open Membership Talks with Ukraine as Hungary's Orbán Blocks $55B Aid Package
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The European Union has agreed to open membership talks with Ukraine and
Moldova. Leaders of 26 EU member states unanimously approved the
accession talks Thursday after Hungary's far-right Prime Minister Viktor
Orbán left the room just before votes were cast. Orbán, who is widely
viewed as an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had threatened to
veto Ukraine's bid to join the EU. He appeared to back down after
European leaders released more than $10 billion worth of aid to Hungary
it had withheld after determining Orbán's nationalist government was
failing to uphold the rule of law. Meanwhile, Hungary's government
blocked a European Union financial aid package for Ukraine worth $55
billion. Talks on that package will resume in the new year.


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