A symbolic victory for Kyiv on EU membership – but the real headache over Western aid remains

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's one-man mission to block critical European funds, mixed with a similar impasse in the US Congress leaves Ukraine with a big problem, writes Askold Krushelnycky

Ukrainian troops prepare to fire from a howitzer LH-70 towards Russian troops at a position near the frontline in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine (Alina Smutko/Reuters)

Ukraine’s fate in the war against Russia was in the hands of its allies on both sides of the Atlantic this week – and the result was one symbolic victory and one monumental headache.

Ukraine received a terrific morale boost when the European Union voted to begin membership talks with Kyiv at a summit in Brussels. That was a smack in the face for Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who on the same day had tried to gloat that all-important military and financial support for Ukraine was fading in the West.

The decision in Brussels came after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban left the room, taking his objections with him, while the agreement was sealed, seemingly having agreed to do so. In that way, he could say he had no part in it. Moldova was given a green light at the same time.