Hungary blocks EU aid proposal for Armenia

By Alexander Pracht

Hungary has been blocking a €10 million ($11.35 million) European Union assistance package for Armenia for six consecutive weeks, Radio Free Europe reported on Monday following a foreign ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg, citing EU diplomatic sources. The aid, proposed by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, would come from the European Peace Facility and is intended to strengthen Armenia’s non-lethal defense capabilities.

The proposal was submitted to the European Council last month, but Hungary continues to exercise its veto right to stall the measure, Armenia’s RFE/RL branch reported, referencing diplomats familiar with the discussions.

The aid would be the EU’s second military package for Armenia, following an earlier €10 million allocation adopted last July that focused on logistical support. The initiative is part of Brussels’ broader effort to enhance Armenia’s resilience and civilian protection amid ongoing regional tensions with Azerbaijan.

Despite Armenia's growing cooperation with the EU, including a European monitoring mission near its border with Azerbaijan and a recently adopted bill that declares the country’s intent to join the bloc, these efforts have been met with disapproval from Moscow. Russia has expressed unease over Yerevan’s deepening ties with Western institutions.

Hungary’s opposition reflects its broader foreign policy stance. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s eurosceptic government is generally aligned with Russia and maintains strong ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey. Budapest has repeatedly blocked EU and NATO support for Ukraine, now in its fourth year of fighting off a full-scale Russian invasion, and has resisted multiple rounds of Western sanctions against Moscow. Hungary also holds observer status in the Organization of Turkic States, an alliance it has embraced despite not being a Turkic country.

The European Peace Facility is a financial instrument established by the European Union to support peace and security efforts globally. Unlike traditional aid mechanisms, the EPF can fund military and defense-related operations, including training, equipment, and infrastructure support for partner countries. Created in 2021, it allows the EU to provide comprehensive assistance to countries facing security challenges.

Hungary and Armenia severed diplomatic ties in 2012 after Hungary extradited Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov, who had been convicted of murdering Gurgen Margaryan, an Armenian serviceman, during a NATO training in Budapest. Safarov received a hero’s welcome and a presidential pardon upon his return to Azerbaijan, prompting Armenia to break off relations in protest.

Although the two countries formally restored diplomatic ties in 2022 and agreed to reopen embassies, they have yet to do so. So far, both sides have only appointed non-resident ambassadors, and relations remain minimal.