Hungary’s Orbán says he won’t back down and allow EU’s €90bn loan to Ukraine – Europe live | World news
important events
Kiev says EU experts arrived in Ukraine to check Druzhba pipeline
Meanwhile, European Union experts arrived in Ukraine to assess the condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, state energy company Naftogaz saidIts closure sparked a dispute with Hungary, which blocked an EU loan to Kiev, Reuters reported.
The EU last week proposed sending a delegation to inspect the pipeline. Ukraine later said it had done so Accepted EU offer of technical support and financing to restore oil flows through the damaged pipeline.
Hungary And Slovakia Russian oil shipments through Druzhba have been cut off since late January after Kiev said a Russian strike had hit pipeline equipment in western Ukraine and would require time for repairs.
And Hungary’s Viktor Orbán has repeatedly said he will continue to block any decisions favorable to Ukraine until the pipeline is fixed.
Kallas, who accuses Orbán of not cooperating in good faith, says that Russia “has benefited from the war in the Middle East”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas similarly warned that Russia “is profiting from the war in the Middle East” and called for “this war to break out, not escalate”.
Regarding Hungary, He said he was “not very optimistic” that an agreement could be reached with Viktor Orbán. “There are alternatives,” he said, but added “it also needs the political courage of all of us.”
Room Accused Orbán of not cooperating in good faith with the EU This means the EU must find a way to “enforce the implementation of the agreement we made in December.”
Kallas said Other EU leaders and foreign ministers criticized Hungary “very strongly” and pushed for a solution. but he warned that “people were not that rational during the elections” as Orbán faces the biggest test of his 16-year rule next month.
Lithuanian Nausėda warns that Middle East crisis could divert attention from Ukraine
Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda said he was concerned that “events in the Middle East could overshadow the war in Ukraine” as the world’s attention shifts to the Middle East.
“I don’t think this is [right]Because We are at a very, very critical stage of the war, … there are many casualties … and I think we are still a long way from any peace agreement,” he said.
Nausėda said that Russia continued to stall the talks because it hoped to “occupy as much territory as possible” and was “probably not ready for any compromise.”
“That’s why we want to strengthen the sanctions regime. This is inexplicable and unfortunately [regretable]He stated that the 20th sanctions package is not on the table yet and that we need to complete it as soon as possible.
He added:
“It is very difficult to convince Orbán, but It’s a shame we lost so much time and we could have moved forward much sooner… It’s no secret that Ukraine badly needs 90 billion euros … [as] “They are under great pressure not only on the battlefield, but also on the economic field.”
Dutch Prime Minister Jetten makes EU debut by backing Ukraine, warning against Iranian influence
New prime minister of the Netherlands Rob JettenHe makes his first appearance at the European Council this morning.
When asked about the situation of Viktor Orbán, “It is clear that Ukraine needs full support to win this war against Russian aggression,” Jetten insisted. He stressed that the EU loan was “vital to ensure Ukraine can prepare for next winter”.
he said He expected all leaders to respect the decisions taken at previous summits, He added that he was hopeful that a technical fix for the pipeline could be found quickly, “so that this loan can go into effect as soon as possible.”
Also from Jet He spoke about the war in Iran and warned of “higher energy prices, so we need to look at how we protect consumers and companies.” Against the great impact of this war.”
On the effort to reform the European Union’s Emissions Trading System, another key topic of this summit, he said he was “willing to explore how we can improve our climate policies, but … will not cancel vital policies … to ensure that this continent is greener and stronger in the long term.”
Morning opening: Let’s talk about Viktor
Yakup Krupa
EU leaders are meeting in Brussels this morning for a debate on the bloc’s competitiveness and economy, but “events, my dear boy, events” mean they must instead focus on Hungary’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine and the Middle East.
With less than four weeks until important parliamentary elections in Hungary, Viktor Orbán will once again come under pressure to unblock the EU’s 90 billion euro loan to UkraineDruzhba blocks this due to a dispute over the pipeline.
But when we arrived in Brussels just a few minutes ago, Orbán has made it clear that he is in no mood for compromise.
He said:
“We want to take from the Ukrainians the oil that is ours and is blocked by the Ukrainians. I will never support any decision here that is in favor of Ukraine. [as long as] “Hungarians cannot buy the oil that belongs to us.”
Asked if there were any other options to agree on a path forward, he said: “No.”
“Sorry, there is no other option. We need this because it is existential. What we are talking about is not politics. Access to oil is vital for Hungary. … If we cannot get that oil, all households and Hungarian companies will go bankrupt.
So you know this is not a joke, it is not a political game. Zelenskyy needs to understand that this is not a game. “This is an absolutely existential situation for Hungarians.”
There will be leaders too We had to discuss the situation in the Middle East at a time when concerns were growing about the impact the conflict would have on Europe, Including energy prices.
of finland Petteri Orpo While calling on leaders to increase the pressure on Moscow, he warned that Russia is the only party that benefits from this chaos and rising energy prices.
He also harshly criticized Orbán, saying “he is using Ukraine as a weapon in his election campaign and this is not good.”
Orpo’s comments came just days after the Belgian prime minister Bart de Wever He appeared to suggest that the EU should improve relations with Moscow to obtain cheaper energy.
It should be an eventful day in Brussels and I’ll keep you updated on the latest developments here.
His Thursday, March 19, 2026, his Yakup Krupa here and this Europe Live.
Good morning.
