EU approves €90bn loan for Ukraine and adopts 20th sanctions package against Russia

The Council of the European Union approved amendments to the EU's 2021-2027 budget by written procedure on 23 April, enabling the provision of a €90 billion loan to Ukraine, and also adopted the 20th package of sanctions against Russia.

Source: a European Pravda correspondent, citing diplomatic sources

Details: The written procedure to approve the €90 billion loan for Ukraine and the EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia was completed in the Council of the EU on the morning of 23 April.

Amendments to the EU's long-term financial framework removed the final legal obstacle to granting Ukraine a €90 billion loan over the current and next years.

The 20th sanctions package against Russia was adopted in the form agreed as early as February 2025 – including without a full ban on maritime services for Russian tankers.

The adoption of both decisions followed the physical arrival of Russian oil in Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, after which both countries signed the approval documents.

Background:

• The EU plans to provide Ukraine with the first tranche of the €90 billion loan at the end of May or the beginning of June 2026.
• President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the unblocking of the procedure to approve the €90 billion loan and the 20th EU sanctions package against Russia the day before, stressing that he expects the agreements to be implemented promptly.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!