The European Union has approved approximately $24 million in non-lethal military aid for Armenia under its European Peace Facility (EPF), ending months of delays caused by Hungary’s opposition, sources in Brussels told Radio Free Europe on Wednesday.
The aid package, initially proposed by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in March 2025, had been blocked by Hungary, which insisted that any support for Armenia be matched by equivalent assistance to Azerbaijan. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó confirmed in May that Budapest was not opposed to the aid in principle but sought parity with Baku.
Following diplomatic consultations and behind-the-scenes negotiations, Hungary reportedly lifted its objections.
This marks the EU’s second military assistance package for Armenia and is double the size of the first, approved in July 2024. Back then, the Council of the European Union had approved €10 million in military aid for the Armenian armed forces under the European Peace Facility (EPF).
The earlier allocation provided logistical and non-lethal support for a battalion-sized Armenian army unit, including a deployable tent camp and auxiliary facilities, and was similarly delayed due to Hungarian resistance.
Hungary vetoed the decision, demanding that Azerbaijan also receive assistance from the EPF.
The newly approved funds are expected to be used for comparable non-lethal purposes over the next three years.
Unlike traditional EU aid mechanisms, the European Peace Facility allows funding for defense and security-related support, including equipment, infrastructure, and training for partner countries facing security challenges. Armenia’s aid packages are part of the EPF’s broader effort to enhance the capacity of countries in regions affected by conflict while also improving civilian protection.
Hungary’s initial opposition reflects its foreign policy alignment. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government maintains close ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey and has frequently challenged EU initiatives, including those supporting Ukraine, while opposing sanctions against Moscow.
Budapest has previously blocked EU statements criticizing Azerbaijan, including during the 2020 Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) war.
Armenia’s diplomatic ties with Hungary were frozen in 2012 after Budapest extradited Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov, convicted of murdering Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan during a NATO training exercise in 2004.
Safarov was pardoned upon his return to Azerbaijan, and was treated as a national hero, prompting international criticism and Armenia’s severing of diplomatic relations.
The two countries restored formal diplomatic ties only in December 2022.
