European Commission says €90bn for Ukraine could be unblocked by Friday

Paula Pinho, Chief Spokesperson for the European Commission, has said the issue of granting Ukraine a €90 billion EU loan could be resolved even before the European Council meets on 19-20 March.

Source: European Pravda

Details: Pinho said the EU expects that, following Ukraine's agreement to accept EU assistance for repairing the Druzhba oil pipeline, the provision of €90 billion to Kyiv in 2026-27 will be unblocked in the near future.

Quote: "With regard to the loan, the very important consequential loan for Ukraine, the discussions continue, and we hope and are confident that we could see some progress in these discussions soon. Ideally, it would be before the European Council [meeting on 19-20 March – ed.]."

Details: Pinho added that the European Commission welcomes Ukraine's decision to accept the technical and financial support offered by the EU.

Quote: "An expert is available to go to Ukraine, and things are happening as we speak, indeed to make sure that we can, that all the necessary work is done in terms of reparation, in terms of restoration of the pipeline, so that oil supplies are eventually resumed."

Background:

• In a letter to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dated 16 March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa proposed technical and financial assistance to Ukraine to help resume oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline.
• In his reply dated 17 March, Zelenskyy said that resuming transit through the Druzhba pipeline, damaged by Russian strikes, will take about one and a half months.
• On 17 March, EU leaders publicly confirmed their offer of assistance and said Kyiv has accepted it.
• Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said earlier that Hungary will continue blocking EU decisions important for Ukraine until Kyiv resumes oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline.

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