EU leaders failed to persuade Hungary to unblock a €90 billion loan to Ukraine
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised that «one way or another» Kyiv will receive the promised funds.
Photo Thanassis Stavrakis, AP
The EU is asking the European Commission to find a way to pay Ukraine the agreed €90 billion loan after the bloc's leaders failed to persuade Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to agree to its allocation, Reuters writes, citing a statement by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Merz called Orbán's actions an unprecedented «act of serious disloyalty». «This will not go unnoticed», he told reporters after the EU leaders' summit in Brussels on March 19.
According to European Council President António Costa, EU leaders condemned Hungary's behavior. «A deal is a deal, and all leaders must keep their word. And no one can blackmail the European Council», he said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised that «one way or another» Kyiv will receive the promised funds.
The €90 billion loan was agreed back in 2025, however, Hungary, an ally of Moscow, has been blocking the decision on its allocation for several months, which must be supported by all EU member states.
Budapest's position remains unchanged amid the suspension of operations in January 2026 of the «Druzhba» pipeline, which runs through Ukrainian territory and through which Hungary receives Russian oil. Kyiv explained the suspension of transit by damage to the pipeline as a result of a Russian attack. Orbán has repeatedly stated that Hungary will block the allocation of money to Kyiv until the «Druzhba» pipeline's operations resume.