In recent years, Central and Eastern European countries such as Hungary and Slovakia have increasingly used their veto power in the European Union to advance their own interests.
However, this strategy can lead to serious consequences, including political isolation and economic sanctions from the EU.
Hungary: Blackmail Policy or Defence of National Interests?
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly blocked EU decisions on financial aid to Ukraine.
In December 2023, Hungary vetoed the allocation of €50 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine until 2027, provoking a sharp reaction from other EU members.
According to the Financial Times, Brussels has developed a strategy of pressure on the Hungarian economy, including undermining investor confidence and weakening the national currency, to force Budapest to change its position.
Hungary has also blocked the release of €6.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine from the European Peace Fund, demanding guarantees that Hungarian companies will not be included in Ukraine’s list of “international sponsors of war.”
Orban maintains that his actions are aimed at protecting national interests and are not blackmail.
Slovakia: Robert Fico’s Political Games
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also resorts to veto threats, using them as a tool to pressure the EU.
In January 2025, Fico said that Slovakia could veto aid to Ukraine if Russian gas transit through Ukrainian territory was not resumed. He also threatened to stop humanitarian aid to Ukraine and change the payment procedure for Ukrainian refugees.
This position caused a wave of protests within the country.
In January 2025, tens of thousands of Slovaks took to the streets, expressing dissatisfaction with Fico’s policies. The protesters emphasised Slovakia’s European identity and called for the prime minister’s resignation.
EU Reaction: Patience Running Out
The use of veto power by Hungary and Slovakia is increasingly irritating other EU members.
Brussels is considering circumventing the veto by concluding bilateral agreements with other member states to provide aid to Ukraine. However, such measures undermine the principle of EU unity and could lead to further fragmentation of the union.
The EU is considering economic sanctions against countries that abuse the veto power. In the case of Hungary, this could include freezing European funds and undermining investor confidence.
Such measures could seriously affect the country’s economy and its position within the EU.
Veto Paradox
The history of the European Union is full of cases of abuse of the veto power.
Before Brexit, the United Kingdom regularly blocked initiatives to deepen integration, especially in the areas of migration policy and fiscal regulation.
In 2017, Poland, together with Hungary, vetoed the EU budget, protesting against the rule of law mechanism. In 2020, Poland and Hungary again blocked the COVID-19 recovery fund for the same reasons.
These examples show how the veto is turning from an instrument of protecting national interests into a means of political blackmail, slowing down collective decisions and threatening EU cohesion.
Financial Pressure
The EU’s ongoing financial strategy to pressure Hungary and Slovakia could lead to lower investment, higher borrowing costs, and slower economic growth.
Such a strategy risks threatening the EU’s overall interests, resulting in economic isolation and a deterioration in the investment climate for the initiating country.
Veto power by CEE countries such as Hungary and Slovakia is increasingly perceived as an instrument of political blackmail rather than the protection of national interests.
The veto undermines EU unity, risking sanctions and economic isolation for Budapest and Bratislava.
If such practices continue, both countries risk long-term financial and reputational damage within the EU-27.
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