EU loan for Ukraine clears major hurdle as Hungary drops veto
EU nations approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia, after Hungary dropped its opposition following a pipeline dispute resolution.
- World
- DPA
- Published Date: 02:14 | 22 April 2026
EU countries have agreed to unlock a €90 billion ($106 billion) loan to Ukraine and impose new sanctions on Russia, after Hungary dropped its months-long opposition, EU diplomats told dpa on Wednesday.
The funding is intended to cover Ukraine's most urgent economic and military needs and enable the country to continue its defensive struggle against Russia.
In addition, EU countries also agreed to the bloc's 20th package of sanctions on Russia, which aims to put further economic pressure on Moscow.
The new loan for Ukraine had been caught up in a dispute between Kiev and Budapest over halted Russian oil deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline that runs through Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the pipeline had been repaired and can resume operations.
Wednesday's decision is to be formalized through approvals in writing from each of the bloc's 27 capitals, which is scheduled to be completed on Thursday, the Cypriot EU Presidency said.
Should no oil arrive in the EU by then, Budapest or Bratislava could theoretically halt the approval process.
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