A high-ranking EU official, commenting on Hungary's blocking of essential decisions regarding the beginning of accession talks with Ukraine and the allocation of €50 billion in aid, has admitted that the member states are "fed up" with the Hungarian authorities' behaviour.

"I have no authorisation to say this as an EU official representative, but the member states are fed up with this [Hungary's antics] because, for no apparent reason, they are destroying EU unity on an issue that is of vital interest to the EU," said a high-ranking European official who spoke on condition of anonymity while talking to journalists in Brussels.

The European official added that the 26 EU member states could make key decisions without Hungary if it continues the blockade.

"And we are not afraid to say this to show that Hungary is Putin's Trojan horse. Because what they do is looking increasingly similar to Trojan horse behaviour," he emphasised.

Meanwhile, the official noted that if, for example, Slovakia starts to behave like Hungary, "then there will be 25 EU countries" [to make the decision].

"But the vast majority of member countries will still be on your side," the official said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that during a conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, he asked him to name just one reason why Ukraine should not be in the EU. 

On 13 December, Zelenskyy said he believes that if the EU fails to approve the decision to start accession talks with Ukraine because it is blocked by Hungary, it would mean that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directly vetoed the decision.