Leaders of European Union countries have reached an agreement to provide Ukraine with a loan of €90 billion under the EU’s joint borrowing conditions, considering the ongoing war. This was emphasized by French President Emmanuel Macron during a joint press conference with Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on March 13.
This is reported by Kyiv24
The Druzhba Pipeline Issue and Hungary’s Position
At the same time, Macron highlighted the importance of restoring the operation of the Druzhba pipeline, which is currently blocked by Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is demanding the resumption of oil transportation through this route, which was halted after the January shelling by the Russian Federation.
“I separate the two issues, and I am determined to resolve both. We must keep our word. The €90 billion must be delivered under the conditions agreed upon in December, while the Druzhba must be restored, and all of this must be done very transparently,” Macron stated.
Zelensky, for his part, reported on the close coordination between Ukraine and EU countries ahead of the summit in Brussels, scheduled for March 19-20. The goal of this cooperation is to unblock funding for Ukraine.
Contradictions Surrounding Oil Supplies and EU Sanctions
The Druzhba pipeline is a key route for supplying Russian oil to Europe, particularly to Hungary and Slovakia. Following the onset of Russia’s full-scale aggression, the EU banned the import of Russian oil, but temporary exemptions were granted for Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, which do not have access to the sea. Subsequently, Austria was able to diversify its oil supply sources.
According to the Ukrainian side, the pipeline was damaged due to Russian shelling in January. However, representatives from Hungary and Slovakia deny this and claim that satellite images do not indicate technical obstacles to the resumption of the pipeline’s operation.
Hungary and Slovakia are also blocking the approval of the 20th sanctions package against Russia and the allocation of a multi-billion euro loan to Ukraine, which EU leaders insisted upon back in December. Both countries have stated their readiness to maintain their veto until the transit of Russian oil through Druzhba is restored.