"If there is no oil, there is no money, Orban said in a video message on Tuesday. If President Zelenskyy wants to receive his money from Brussels then he must reopen the Friendship [Druzhba] oil pipeline. Orban said he had made it clear to the European Council president, Antonio Costa, that Hungary's position was unchanged."
"Zelenskyy said on Wednesday he hoped EU leaders would stand by their promise to lend Ukraine 90bn for urgently needed military supplies and general budget support. We are really counting on the countries and the EU to find ways to resolve this issue, he said on a visit to Madrid."
"Hungary and Slovakia are the only two EU countries that benefit from Druzbha, having secured a temporary exemption from the EU's import ban on Russian oil, which was introduced after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Hungary's last-minute blockade of the 90bn loan has infuriated other EU leaders as Orban agreed to the funding deal last December."
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is blocking a €90 billion EU loan intended for Ukraine's military and budget support, conditioning approval on the repair of the Druzhba pipeline that supplies Russian oil to Hungary via Ukraine. Orban maintains his veto despite pressure from other EU leaders ahead of an EU summit, stating that without oil there is no money. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy confirmed efforts to repair the pipeline, damaged by Russian airstrikes, and appealed to EU leaders to honor their funding commitment. Hungary and Slovakia are the only EU nations benefiting from a temporary exemption to the EU's Russian oil import ban. Orban's blockade has angered other EU leaders, particularly since Hungary previously agreed to the funding arrangement in December without requiring participation.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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