Politico: Macron invites Orban to convince Ukraine to join EU

French President Emmanuel Macron has invited Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to a meeting in Paris later this week to find a compromise on starting negotiations with Ukraine on its accession to the EU.

This was reported by Politico.

According to a source in Paris, the French president believes that the Hungarian leader can still be persuaded to support Ukraine's accession to the EU.

According to the official, Orban "raised the stakes" to get more money from the EU.

"This is a purely tactical moment... so there is some optimism that we can reach an agreement," the source said.

A diplomat from another EU country called Orban's threats a political spectacle and tried to counter the impression that the Hungarian prime minister was dictating the agenda to the other 26 countries, saying: "Another day, another letter from Budapest. What's new?"

However, another senior diplomat from a third EU country said that Orban is becoming more intransigent. The EU official in Brussels also said that this time Orban seems to really be making it clear that he will not back down from his position on Ukraine's accession, even if he receives more EU funds.

Author - Olena Madiak, 05/12/2023