EU wants to unblock €90bn for Ukraine as quickly as possible after Orbán's defeat

After the party of Hungary's incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was defeated in the election on 12 April, the European Union hopes to unblock as quickly as possible both the EU's €90 billion loan for Ukraine and the EU's 20th package of sanctions against Russia.

Source: European Pravda citing the Cypriot Presidency of the EU

Details: The EU is counting on the swift unblocking of the 20th EU sanctions package against Russia and the €90 billion loan for Ukraine after Orbán's election defeat.

Quote: "Our goal of Presidency remains to conclude both the 90 billion Ukrainian loan package and the 20th sanctions package as soon as possible."

More details: Cyprus holds the EU Presidency in the first half of 2026.

The European Pravda source also said the Cypriot Presidency intended to put the issues on the agenda of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the European Union (Coreper) "as soon as the conditions permit it, with a view to a swift conclusion of both files".

Coreper meetings in Brussels will take place twice this week, on 15 April and on 17 April. The official agenda for those meetings does not include the issues in question. However, EU ambassadors are due to discuss the informal meeting of EU heads of state, which will take place in Nicosia, Cyprus, on 23 and 24 April, during which both the €90 billion loan and the 20th sanctions package will be discussed.

European Pravda's own sources in the EU said that EU officials did not expect any fundamental change in Hungary's position on Ukrainian issues before Péter Magyar formally takes office as prime minister.

The EU expects Magyar to begin work in the post in early May 2026. That means Hungary will still be represented by Viktor Orbán at the EU leaders' summit on 23 and 24 April.

However, other European Pravda sources in the EU do not rule out the possibility that Viktor Orbán may make some concessions on Ukraine even before handing power to Magyar.

Background:

• The German government has expressed hope that the outcome of Hungary's parliamentary elections, which were won by Péter Magyar's opposition Tisza party, will help quickly unblock a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine.
• After winning the parliamentary elections, Tisza leader Péter Magyar said that Hungary will once again be a reliable partner in the EU and NATO.
• Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that messages have been sent to Hungary regarding possible contact between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Péter Magyar.
• On 19 March, Orbán said Budapest would not unblock any EU decision favourable to Ukraine – including approval of the 20th Russia sanctions package and the €90 billion loan – until the flow of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline was restored.

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