Hungary lifts veto on EPF EUR10 million aid to Yerevan 

ArmInfo.This year, Armenia will receive 10 million euros from the  European Peace Facility (EPF) for  the first time, Hungary has dropped its veto on the European Union's first-ever military assistance to Armenia, EU diplomatic sources told RFE/RL's Armenian Service on Thursday.  "The sources who did not want  to be identified added that the EU foreign ministers are now expected to give the final green light to the military aid to Armenia at their next meeting slated for July 22," the RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports.

Earlier,  in mid-April it became known  that a preliminary agreement  had been reached in Brussels to provide  assistance to Armenia in the amount of 10 million euros from the  European Peace Facility.  According to diplomatic documents, the  money was to be used to create a modular field camp for one  battalion, which would also include one medical station, as well as  related services and facilities.  "The purpose of this support is to  help the Armenian Armed Forces increase its resilience and stability-  building capabilities and thereby better protect civilians during  crises and emergencies," the document reads.

 Hungary vetoed the project, demanding that Azerbaijan also receive  assistance from the EPF. According to the RFE/RL's Armenian Service  sources, this proposal from Budapest was not accepted, and a  compromise option was chosen to break the deadlock: Money will not be  allocated to Baku from this fund, but separately for demining works.  Amid ongoing behind-the-scenes negotiations, the Armenian Foreign  Minister left for Hungary last May, expressing hope that Budapest,  which will assume the rotating presidency of the European Union from  July to the end of this year, will not hinder Armenia's deepening  ties with Brussels.  Established in 2021, the European Peace Facility  (EPF) is an instrument aimed at enhancing the EU's ability to prevent  conflicts, build and preserve peace and strengthen international security and stability.

In recent years, assistance from this fund has been received by, for  example, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, which applied for membership in the union, as well as about a dozen African countries, from Somalia to Congo.

Armenia applied to use this fund last year. The French Foreign  Minister, who arrived in Yerevan in October last year, said that he personally addressed the EU Foreign Minister with this issue.