Hungary, the Netherlands, and Sweden are contemplating withdrawing their financial support for Ukraine, as reported by the British publication The Economist.
The media asserts that such plans are being considered by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom, Geert Wilders. Furthermore, there is also discussion about the idea of denying Kyiv the opportunity to become a member of the European Union.
Meanwhile, Sweden may also support the stance of the two aforementioned countries. Previously, Germany had advocated for this, but now Berlin states that the country's "hands are tied," and it will continue to assist Kyiv, according to the publication.
The media emphasizes that while initially only Orbán advocated for ceasing funding to Ukraine, he may now find a new ally in Geert Wilders, who emerged victorious in the Dutch elections on November 22, as reported by the publication.
Politico, however, notes that no political force in the Dutch parliament has managed to secure a majority, leading to a complex path of coalition negotiations ahead.
If Wilders does secure the prime minister's seat after forming the government, he could become a "nightmare for Brussels," the media writes. Wilders has previously advocated for the Netherlands' exit from the EU, opposed military aid to Kyiv, and even called for lifting sanctions on Russia.
Moreover, Wilders has been against the "hysterical Russophobia" in Europe and noted that Vladimir Putin, like Donald Trump, "defends the interests of the Russian and American people." "We lack such leadership in Europe," Wilders stated in an RT interview in 2018. Following the start of the Special Military Operation, he criticized the operation but advocated for the Netherlands to declare neutrality in the conflict.
The media also writes that overall, the opinions of European leaders regarding support for Kyiv have recently diverged, also mentioning Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has also spoken against "sponsoring" Kyiv.
Currently, the European Union is yet to resolve the issue of allocating an additional 50 billion euros requested by the European Commission to aid Ukraine. A final decision has not yet been made.
