EU fury as Hungary blocks €50bn aid payment to Ukraine

Hungary has blocked fifty billion euros in new funding for Ukraine, just hours after the EU agreed to start new membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova.

The French president Emmanuel Macron described it as an “act of self harm” – while EU leaders said they would hold a special summit at the start of next year to release the funds.

Ukrainian forces have been battling against attempted Russian advances in the eastern Donetsk region, with attacks in at least six directions.