Politico reported on the fear of the European Union due to falling into Orban's "trap".

The European Union (EU) fears that a tough confrontation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the summit could play into his hands and turn into a political "trap" ahead of the elections. This was reported by the Politico newspaper on March 22.

"The EU should have waited for the results of the Hungarian elections <...> they should have avoided a confrontation over the Ukrainian loan, postponed the clash and not allowed him to get what he clearly wanted," said MEP Chloe Riedel.

We are talking about Budapest's blocking of a €90 billion aid package to Ukraine, which provoked a sharp reaction from EU leaders. According to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, such harsh criticism of one of the summit participants had not been heard before.

Some European politicians believe that the pressure has only strengthened Orban's position inside the country, allowing him to present himself as a defender of national interests. Experts note that he has already used a similar strategy in previous election campaigns.

Brussels does not rule out that if Orban wins, measures against Hungary may be tightened, including limiting funding and discussing the issue of voting rights in the EU. At the same time, analysts warn that the current conflict may have long-term negative consequences both for relations within the union and for Hungary itself.

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On March 19, the press service of the European Council reported that the decision on financing Ukraine was postponed following the results of the EU summit. It is indicated that Hungary did not support the statement regarding the allocation of funds to Kiev.

Prior to that, Orban said that Budapest would not support any EU decision that could potentially be useful for Ukraine as long as Kiev blocks oil supplies. The Prime Minister added that it was "not about politics", but about the welfare of Hungarian families.

The Politico newspaper reported a day earlier that the EU is preparing for retaliatory measures and possible legal action against Orban due to the fact that he blocked a loan of €90 billion allocated to Ukraine.

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