From left, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and European Council President Charles Michel arrive to a spherical desk assembly at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday. “Ukraine is our priority and this agreement will give the credibility, legitimacy and the predictability that is expected from us,” Metsola mentioned.

Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP

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Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP

From left, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and European Council President Charles Michel arrive to a spherical desk assembly at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday. “Ukraine is our priority and this agreement will give the credibility, legitimacy and the predictability that is expected from us,” Metsola mentioned.

Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP

PARIS — The European Union has reached a deal to incorporate 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in funding for Ukraine in its finances for the following three years. The settlement got here surprisingly rapidly after Hungary, lengthy opposed, reversed its stance.

The cash will assist Kyiv hold its financial system working in 2024 and maintain important providers corresponding to well being care, social safety and pensions.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola hailed the settlement in a press convention simply hours after it was reached. She mentioned the unanimous approval by the EU’s 27 member nations meant conserving the funding inside the EU finances, which supplies it the added stamp of approval of the European parliament.

“Ukraine is our priority and this agreement will give the credibility, legitimacy and the predictability that is expected from us,” she mentioned. “Because Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security.”

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán scuttled an analogous EU finances summit in December after vetoing the funding for Ukraine.

EU leaders arrived in Brussels Thursday able to spend the day doing bottle with Orbán. Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas expressed her frustration over the standoff with Hungary forward of the assembly.

“I mean, Viktor [Orbán] definitely wants to be the center of attention every time we are here,” she mentioned, “but it shouldn’t be like this. I don’t want to use the word blackmail, but I don’t know another better word.”

Poland’s new prime minister, Donald Tusk, mentioned Europe would not have Ukraine fatigue, it has Viktor Orbán fatigue.

“I can’t understand,” he mentioned. “I can’t accept this very strange and very egoistic game of Viktor Orbán.”

Speaking after the deal, Metsola admitted it will have been higher if there weren’t situations hooked up to Hungary’s approval of the funding. Orbán had mentioned earlier he would drop his opposition if the EU voted yearly on the help to Ukraine.

Metsola didn’t elaborate on what the situations have been. She solely mentioned the EU had been conserving its Ukrainian mates on tenterhooks for too lengthy, and referred to as it “a good day for Europe.”

Orbán has been crucial of Western funding of Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, arguing it prolongs the struggle. Orbán has additionally mentioned he doesn’t imagine Russia presents a safety menace to Europe.