EU moves ahead with €90 billion for Ukraine despite Orbán concerns
Photo: Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary (Getty Images)
The European Union will approve a record €90 billion loan to Ukraine this week, despite the position of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an EU official says.
Read also: Ukraine offers Hungary compromise on Druzhba oil pipeline
"We are working on implementing the loan. It will be approved today and will come into force on February 27. We are working on a financial strategy and a memorandum of understanding," says the RBC-Ukraine source.
According to him, the allocation of funds to Ukraine is planned for the second half of March.
"We hope that by then the issue with Hungary will be resolved," the official says.
Hungary blocks loan to Ukraine
In early 2026, the European Parliament approved a record €90 billion in financial aid to Ukraine. €60 billion of this aid will be spent on Ukraine's defense needs. Ukraine is to receive the first tranche in the second quarter of 2026.
However, in February, Hungary announced that it would block the allocation of funds. The reason is the suspension of oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline. It ceased operations in Ukraine due to Russian strikes on the pipeline's infrastructure.
Hungary, together with Slovakia and Czechia, is not financing this billion-euro loan to Ukraine. But the allocation of funds requires the unanimous consent of EU members. Therefore, despite the lack of investment, Budapest still has influence.
As RBC-Ukraine reported, Kyiv has already offered Orbán several options for resolving the dispute over oil supplies. Budapest has not yet responded.
Read more about the €90 billion loan to Ukraine in the RBC-Ukraine article.
