February 1, 2024

BRUSSELS, Feb 1 (Reuters) - To get Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to end his block on a 50 billion euro ($54.3 billion) aid package for Ukraine, other European Union leaders teamed up ahead of a crunch summit to deliver a stark message: You're on your own this time.

The veteran Hungarian leader, who maintains close ties to Moscow despite its invasion of Ukraine, has been adept in the past at finding enough support among his peers to drive a hard bargain in EU negotiations.

But in the days and hours before Thursday's special summit in Brussels, leaders - individually and in groups - told Orban that the other 26 members of the union were united behind the deal and he would face consequences if he continued to block, according to EU diplomats and officials.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-leaders-isolated-orban-seal-ukraine-aid-deal-2024-02-01/