The European Union should start assessing ‘how successful its strategy concerning Ukraine has been’, János Bóka, Hungary’s EU Affairs Minister, told reporters in Brussels, Belgium on Wednesday, 15 November.

Following the meeting with his EU counterparts, Bóka told the Hungarian press that the assessment should cover

‘how the aid provided so far has been used’, if it was sustainable to keep providing aid, and if there were any alternatives.

He said the results of such an assessment would put the bloc in a position to make decisions concerning Ukraine’s EU integration as well as further aid to the country.

Concerning EU enlargement, Bóka stated that the Hungarian government wanted to see ‘an appropriate political balance between the enlargement processes of the Western Balkans and of countries in the east’.

The Western Balkans region is a priority for Hungary, the minister went on to say. He added that integrating the Western Balkans would ‘not involve fundamental institutional or budgetary changes, therefore it is not necessary to tie Western Balkans integration to institutional reforms’.

Concerning the preparations for an upcoming European Council meeting with the Israeli–Palestinian conflict on its agenda, Minister Bóka said the Council ‘must not adopt a closing statement failing to stipulate that hostages held by the [Hamas] terrorist organisation must be released immediately and unconditionally.' He then added: ‘That should also be a prerequisite for the European Union to join any international declaration or initiative.’

Bóka went on to state the Council meeting's agenda would also include a review of the EU's budget. Hungary, he said, would want to see a mechanism outside the budget framework rather than one included in it to provide aid to Ukraine. 'That would facilitate flexibility for Member States, international financial institutions and other parties in contributing to aid for Ukraine,' the minister added.

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Sources: MTI/Hungarian Conservative