Lead

European Union member states have made significant progress toward releasing a €90 billion loan for Ukraine, according to multiple reports. Diplomats told France 24 that EU countries gave a preliminary green light to unblocking the loan on Wednesday, with Hungary given 24 hours to sign off on the deal. The development comes after months of delays caused by Hungary's objections, which were tied to the disruption of oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from France 24, The Guardian, and TASS all confirm that the EU is close to finalizing the loan, with the key sticking point being Hungary's demand that oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline resume. France 24, citing diplomats, reported that Cyprus, which holds the rotating EU presidency, launched a written procedure for final approval by Thursday afternoon. The Guardian noted that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the pipeline has been repaired and is ready for use, while EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said she expected a positive decision within 24 hours. TASS, the Russian state news agency, reported European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos as saying the EU expects oil to flow in the coming days and that the loan disbursement could then begin promptly.

Key Claims

  • EU member states have given preliminary approval to unblocking a €90 billion loan for Ukraine, according to France 24 and The Guardian.
  • Hungary was given 24 hours to sign off definitively, with Cyprus launching a written procedure for final approval by Thursday afternoon, as reported by France 24.
  • The loan has been blocked by Hungary's outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán until oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline are restored, a claim carried by The Guardian.
  • Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the Druzhba pipeline has been repaired and is ready for use, according to The Guardian.
  • EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said she expected a positive decision on the loan within the next 24 hours, as reported by The Guardian.
  • European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said the EU expects oil to flow through the Druzhba pipeline in the coming days, which would allow immediate approval of the €90 billion financing plan, per TASS.
  • The EU also plans to allocate an additional €2.7 billion to Ukraine, as confirmed by Kos, according to TASS.
A single source, TASS, reported that a senior Kyiv official told the agency that Ukraine would restart oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline "within a few hours," but this has not been independently verified.

Perspectives

European Union officials emphasize that the loan is critical for Ukraine's ongoing needs and that the pipeline repair removes the final obstacle. They expect oil to flow within days, allowing disbursement to proceed.

Hungarian government maintains that deliveries must restart before Budapest agrees to the payout. Both the outgoing and incoming Hungarian administrations have held this position, according to The Guardian.

Ukraine has confirmed the pipeline repair and is eager for the loan to be released, as the country urgently needs the funds.

The loan was originally agreed at the European Council in December, but after the pipeline was struck by a Russian missile and damaged, oil flows stopped, and Hungary blocked payments until deliveries were restored. The situation appears to be moving toward resolution, with both sides signaling readiness to proceed once oil flows are confirmed.