Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys says a so-called “Plan B” is needed to allow the European Union to bypass the Hungarian veto on Ukraine’s EU accession.
The Lithuanian foreign minister announced
We would like to gain the support of all 27 member states, but until that happens, we are looking for alternative solutions.
According to Budrys, Ukraine meets the accession criteria and Hungary is only abusing its veto power.
In reality, Ukraine does not meet even the most important conditions, such as respecting fundamental human rights, including the rights of minorities.
Budrys said that the “Plan B” could let Brussels take informal steps to support Ukraine’s reforms, keeping EU resources active and attention on Kiev, with formal approval later. He urged starting the ‘Plan’ in this autumn and said Lithuanian politics won’t affect support.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka—who this month was sent to Budapest as an accession process negotiator—said the EU might handle Ukraine’s accession differently.
Formal approval would still need Hungary to change its stance. Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán has warned that “once inside … Ukraine’s problems would become the EU’s problems—and for decades,” and two Danish academics cautioned last week that the war-torn country’s “membership would cause the EU institutions to collapse.”