Hungary Sues European Union over Use of Russian Assets to Support Ukraine

Hungary has filed a lawsuit with the European Union’s Court of Justice against the EU Council over its decision to use frozen Russian assets to fund aid for Ukraine.

The corresponding lawsuit is published on the website of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Hungary’s lawsuit concerns the EU Council’s May 21, 2024, decision to direct proceeds from frozen Russian assets to the European Peace Fund. The fund was created to finance common foreign and security policy measures, in particular to assist Ukraine, Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Hungary argues that abstaining from a vote in the EU Council does not automatically imply support for the decision to allocate the fund’s proceeds for military aid to Ukraine. Consequently, Budapest is seeking to have both the Council’s decision and the fund-related decision of March 2025 declared invalid.

The lawsuit was filed in July 2025, and on August 25, the EU Court accepted it for consideration and referred it for detailed examination. The Hungarian government emphasizes that it is challenging the procedure and competence regarding the use of the assets, not the issue of support for Ukraine itself.

Analysts note that this lawsuit could set a precedent for the use of frozen assets of third countries within the framework of common European security and foreign policy programs. The case before the Court of Justice of the EU is expected to last several months, and its outcome could influence the mechanisms for financing assistance to Ukraine and other EU partners.

Earlier, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó once again announced the possible cessation of energy supplies to Ukraine. At the same time, he emphasized that Budapest refrained from such a step, allegedly out of “pity for Ukrainian children.”

The day before, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that Ukrainian refugees in the country receive more generous assistance than unemployed Hungarians, and did not rule out limiting financial support in the future.

By the way, on June 26, during a two-day summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, the European Council failed to adopt a final statement on support for Ukraine due to Hungary’s position.

Recall that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán once again spoke out against Ukraine’s European integration, citing the ongoing war as the main reason. The government also published the results of a consultative vote, in which 95% of participants allegedly spoke out against Ukraine’s accession to the EU. In Kyiv, these actions were regarded as political manipulation aimed at creating an image of the enemy and distracting Hungarians from domestic problems.

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