EU close to signing off on critical €90bn loan for Ukraine after months of vetoing from Hungary – Europe live | Ukraine
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Ukraine has started pumping oil through Druzhba and deliveries to Slovakia are expected to resume on Thursday, the minister said
Slovak economy minister Denisa Sakova Only in question HE Ukrainian operator Ukrtransnafta confirmed that it has started “pressurization and filling” works of the Druzhba pipeline, Deliveries to Slovakia are expected to resume on Thursday morning.
Whatever it’s worth, AFP reported that a senior official in Kiev told the agency that Ukraine would restart the flow of oil through the Druzhba pipeline “within a few hours”.
Let’s see if the EU’s decision can be taken before that date, or will Hungary be able to hold out until oil is released? Actually flowing.
Morning opening: EU is close to signing a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine
After four months of public disagreements between Ukraine and Hungary, today may be the day the EU finally signs off (for the second time) on a critical €90 billion loan to Kiev.
president of ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy It was confirmed yesterday that the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russia’s oil imports to Hungary and Slovakia, has been repaired and made ready for reuse. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said yesterday that she expected a “positive decision” within the next 24 hours.
Ambassadors from 27 member countries are meeting this morning to discuss repayment of the loan. What has been postponed until now by Hungary’s outgoing prime minister Viktor Orbán.
The loan was first agreed at the European Council in December, but after the pipeline was hit and damaged by a Russian missile, causing oil flows to stop, Hungary decided to block payments until deliveries were restored.
As far as we know, oil is not flowing fully yet, but he it could be It can happen at any time, so it’s just a matter of both parties agreeing to move forward on it. Most importantly, the incoming Hungarian government Péter Magyar retained the previous administration’s position: Deliveries must restart for Hungary to accept payment.
Payment couldn’t come soon enough for Ukraine Because the country urgently needs this money to finance its ongoing defense against Russia. Zelenskyy spoke to several EU leaders last night about his priorities.
I will give you the outline when we have more information on this subject.
Separately, the EU energy commissioner Dan Jørgensen He is expected to comment today on how Europe might be affected by the Middle East crisis. When he speaks this morning I will bring you his words.
His Wednesday, April 22, 2026, his Yakup Krupa here and this Europe Live.
Good morning.
