Permanent representatives of EU member states have given preliminary approval to two major decisions: a €90 billion loan to Kyiv and a 20th package of sanctions against Russia. The loan to Ukraine had been under discussion since late 2025, but its adoption was threatened by the position of Viktor Orbán. Budapest tied its support to the issue of oil transit through Ukraine, on which both Hungary and Slovakia depend. After flows through the Druzhba pipeline were halted, Hungary explicitly raised the possibility of a veto. This ultimately did not materialize: the resumption of deliveries on April 22 helped remove the political blockage.
At the same time, a new package of sanctions against Russia was approved. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico had previously warned that Bratislava would not support further restrictions without the restoration of energy flows.
The loan decision is part of a broader strategy. The EU is gradually assuming the role of Ukraine’s primary financial backer, effectively institutionalizing long-term support. For European economies, this means increased pressure on public finances and greater dependence on the political trajectory of the conflict.
Meanwhile, sanctions pressure on Russia continues to expand, despite growing fatigue among some member states and rising economic costs within the Union itself. Each new package requires increasingly complex compromises, while energy is becoming a central lever in negotiations between EU countries.
