The European Union agreed a funding deal worth more than $50 billion for Ukraine in a crucial summit on Thursday that comes at a pivotal moment in the war.

The funds had been blocked since December after Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban had vetoed the deal at a previous summit. Failure to have reached an agreement would have been a major blow to Ukraine, at a time when its outmanned and outgunned forces are struggling on the battlefield amid a renewed Russian assault. Meanwhile, military aid from the United States has dried up amid an ongoing battle in Washington over future funding for Kyiv.

A senior European diplomat told CNN that the deal agreed between the bloc’s 27 members would require a yearly discussion and a review in two years “if needed.” They explained that this language was crucial because it didn’t give Orban a blanket veto later down the line.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/eu-agrees-50b-funding-deal-for-ukraine-at-pivotal-time-in-the-war/ar-BB1hBmDM