🇺🇦🇷🇺Ukraine vs Russia

Hungary Drops Veto on Ukraine Loan

After Ukraine announced that it had repaired the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary has lifted its months-long blockade of a 90-billion-euro loan for Kyiv.

Kyiv Post

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24 آپریل 2026

4 min read

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After Ukraine announced that it had repaired the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary has lifted its months-long blockade of a 90-billion-euro loan for Kyiv. Ousted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán supported the EU decision. Brussels also gave the green light for a new sanctions package against Russia. Commentators examine motives and connections.

Face-saving news

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The EU at least has something to show for its efforts now, says La Stampa (Italy):

“The double signal came yesterday around midday. ... The Hungarian and Slovak ambassadors gave the green light for the written procedure to begin on the final approval of the 90-billion-euro loan to Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, which had been blocked for two months. ... Provided no government raises objections – which, several EU sources say, is unlikely – European leaders will be able to celebrate this double ‘success’ this evening on the first day of their informal summit in Cyprus, which will kick off with a speech by Volodymyr Zelensky. This is face-saving news at a summit where much will be discussed but little decided.”

Miraculous self-repairing pipeline

With raised eyebrows, the Weltwoche comments on the sudden flow of oil through the pipeline in the wake of Orbán’s defeat (Switzerland):

“Wonder of wonders! For months Ukraine blocked access to the Druzhba oil pipeline, through which oil flowed from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia, on the pretext that it had been damaged in a Russian strike. In Budapest and Bratislava it was assumed that Kyiv was doing this to influence the elections. And they were not wrong. No sooner was Orbán voted out than the pipeline repaired itself overnight. And it’s not only oil that is flowing freely now, but money too. ... Only a cynic would smell a rat here. After all, miracles happen all the time. Even pipelines can repair themselves.”

Other Topics of Interest

Russia Calls New EU Sanctions ‘Unlawful’

The EU’s 20th sanctions package targets Russia’s energy revenues, financial sector, shadow fleet and military-industrial supply chains.

Kyiv’s (in)action is understandable

Denník Postoj shows understanding for Ukraine (Slovakia):

“Oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline were interrupted by Russian air strikes. ... A certain inflexibility, even reluctance, on the part of Ukraine to undertake the repairs and restore the flow of oil was understandable given its objectives. If the enemy is financing the war against you using infrastructure that runs through your own territory, why on earth would you pay attention to its upkeep? Particularly when two countries (Hungary and Slovakia) are at the other end of the oil pipeline who, at least verbally, are more sympathetic to the enemy than to you yourself.”

Don’t let Zelensky get away with everything

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung explains why the oil is suddenly flowing (Germany):

“The plumbing on the pipeline was obviously linked to a political time frame. ... Viktor Orbán and his pro-Russian agenda have been voted out. ... What’s surprising is that Orbán is actually sticking to his word: when the oil flows, he gives the green light. This does nothing to change the fact that he has opposed Ukraine since 2014 and behaved treacherously within the EU. But it is also true that Kyiv can be decidedly ham-fisted in the way it pursues its interests, sometimes even towards countries it would be better off winning as partners. We shouldn’t let Zelensky get away with everything.”

EU stood by and watched

The EU should have asked Kyiv for proof that the pipeline was damaged, Pravda writes (Slovakia):

“Viktor Orbán blocked a 90-billion-euro EU loan to Ukraine. The EU leaders were angry at Budapest, rebuked Orbán, yet they did not ask Zelensky to prove that the pipeline was damaged. In a fact-based society, this would have been standard procedure, but it was not. ... So what was the point of this whole ‘war’ over the Druzhba oil pipeline? To punish Putin? To bring about Orbán’s defeat? Neither of the above. It was just Zelensky flexing his muscles. While EU leaders stood by obediently and watched.”