The Hungarian PM has rejected the EU-proposed loan for Ukraine, which he says will burden European taxpayers

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has lashed out at what he called a "Brusselian war plan," accusing the EU trying to force member states to finance Ukraine at the expense of their own citizens.

The European Commission on Wednesday formally presented a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan package for Kiev for 2026 and 2027, to be raised against the EU's common budget after member states failed to agree on using frozen Russian assets for the purpose. The controversial proposal - which Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have rejected - would allocate around two thirds of the money for weapons for Kiev, with the remainder covering its budget gap. Brussels has urged member states to approve the scheme swiftly so that the first tranche can be disbursed by April.

Posting on X, Orban wrote that "money does not grow on trees" and that "Ukrainians are demanding $800 billion from Europeans for the next ten years." Ukrainian officials previously said they have agreed with EU representatives on the long-term package for the country's recovery and reconstruction.

Orban argued that, based on Hungary's share of EU gross national income, such a scheme would cost Hungarian taxpayers more than $9 billion. He added that under the "Brusselian master plan" Budapest would be forced to scrap or scale back on a wide range of social programs, including 13th and 14th month pensions, housing support schemes, family home purchase subsidies, reduced household energy prices, flat income tax, and many others.

"One thing is certain: we say NO to the Brusselian war plan!" Orban wrote.

Russia has condemned Western financing of Kiev, saying it hinders peace efforts. Commenting on the loan plan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the EU is "digging into pockets of their own taxpayers" to drag out the conflict.

(RT.com)