After derailing December's summit, Hungary has made fresh demands to Brussels in exchange for a lift on its veto on the European Union's proposed €50-billion fund for Ukraine.
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00:00 The Belgian presidency of the council is confident that a compromise can soon be found so that
00:07 it can continue to provide financing to Ukraine.
00:10 This is despite Hungary last month blocking the EU's 50 billion euro aid package to Ukraine.
00:17 Belgium's foreign affairs minister, Hadja El-Abid, assured Euronews a solution was in
00:22 reach.
00:23 "We are not taking a European presidency at 27 by saying we won't make it.
00:30 Of course we will make it and Belgium is known for building bridges, for hearing different
00:39 voices and for managing to moderate each other and to reach agreements.
00:47 It is with this state of mind that we are taking the European presidency."
00:52 Work is ongoing to get the ball rolling again when it comes to aid.
00:56 Sources told Euronews that Hungary insists the support should be split into four parts
01:02 with an annual review.
01:03 This would allow Budapest to keep its veto for each round of support.
01:16 When it comes to foreign affairs, the Belgian presidency also has another priority, which
01:21 is to stop the conflict in Gaza spilling over into the region.
01:27 "This is exactly what we want to avoid, a regional escalation.
01:33 The demonstrations, the voices of the Israeli people, the voices of the Palestinian people
01:41 are in this direction.
01:43 We are obviously horrified by what is happening today in the Middle East.
01:53 Belgium had set as one of its priorities on 7 October the restart of peace negotiations
02:03 in the Middle East."
02:05 The Belgian EU presidency is the last one before the EU elections in June.
02:11 Their main goal is to close as many legislative files as possible before then.
02:16 (laughing)
02:19 you