The EU may release €90 billion in aid for Ukraine by March 19
The European Commission expects a positive decision on granting Ukraine a €90 billion loan for 2026–2027 in the coming days.
According to European Commission spokesperson Paula Pigno, progress in the negotiations became possible after Kyiv agreed to accept technical and financial assistance from the EU for the urgent repair of the Druzhba oil pipeline, reports the EP. Brussels hopes to finally resolve this issue before the start of the European Council meeting scheduled for March 19–20.
According to the European Commission representative, European experts are already ready to travel to Ukraine to assess the scope of work required to restore the pipeline. The prompt repair of the pipeline is critically important for restoring a stable supply of oil to European consumers. While Russia continues to create obstacles to the region’s energy stability, the release of a large-scale financial package will allow Ukraine to ensure economic stability and implement necessary infrastructure projects over the next two years.
Ukraine has agreed to the European Union’s proposal for financial and technical support to restore oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline. Engaging EU experts and resources will help restore stable operation of the pipeline more quickly.
Georgiy Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dismissed as baseless the accusations by Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó regarding Kyiv’s alleged refusal to participate in trilateral consultations on restarting the Druzhba pipeline.
