It's revealed how Scholz got Orbán to drop his veto to EU enlargement

About three hours after a deadlock in the EU leaders' discussion on Ukraine's accession, German chancellor suggested to Orban to leave the hall and drink coffee

Izvor: B92

Friday, 15.12.2023.

12:02

It's revealed how Scholz got Orbán to drop his veto to EU enlargement
EPA-EFE/OLIVIER HOSLET

It's revealed how Scholz got Orbán to drop his veto to EU enlargement

About three hours after a deadlock in the EU leaders' discussion on Ukraine's accession, the German chancellor suggested the Hungarian prime minister to leave the hall and drink coffee.

Viktor Orbán, as Politico writes, was really reluctant to agree to the opening of negotiations on enlargement with Kyiv, so, allegedly, Olaf Scholz suggested to him that he should think about it and leave the room for a while.

Scholz made the recommendation to the Hungarian leader in front of his EU counterparts gathered around the negotiating table at the leaders' summit on Thursday.

That idea seemed ideal, as it would allow the 26 or so EU leaders left in the room to approve Ukraine's path to membership with the required unanimity — which EU rules say is met even if one leader is absent — in this case Orbán, who could say that he did not vote "in favor" of the decision.

Politico reports that after a brief conversation between Scholz and Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister left the room, paving the way for the EU's historic decision to open accession talks with Ukraine after days of uncertainty over Orbán's fierce opposition. Scholz's extraordinary strategy, described to Politico by three officials familiar with the events, surprised not only Brussels.

The idea that one EU leader has to leave the room for the decision to be unanimous is highly unusual. In fact, EU officials and diplomats at Thursday's summit could not say whether Scholz's move had ever been used before. After EU leaders announced the decision to open accession negotiations, Orbán said in a Facebook post: "Hungary does not want to be part of this bad decision!"

At the time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky celebrated the decision on the X social network, saying: "I thank Chancellor Scholz for his personal efforts and Germany for its leadership."

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