{
    "title": "EU backs \u20ac90bn Ukraine loan as Hungary lifts veto",
    "modified_at": "2026-04-22 13:45:45",
    "published_at": "2026-04-22 13:46:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/eu-backs-90bn-ukraine-loan-as-hungary-lifts-veto",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/63Dd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "eu-backs-90bn-ukraine-loan-as-hungary-lifts-veto",
    "body": "<p><strong>European Union ambassadors have agreed a &euro;90 billion loan for Ukraine, alongside a new package of sanctions against Russia.</strong></p><p>The decision was approved on Wednesday without debate. A written procedure is now under way, allowing member states to raise objections until Thursday afternoon. If none are lodged, the measures will be formally adopted.</p><p>The agreement follows Hungary&rsquo;s decision to drop its veto. Prime minister Viktor Orban had <a href=\"http://prez.ly/ls9d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">blocked</a> the loan in protest over halted Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline, which serves Hungary and Slovakia.</p><div class=\"release-content-embed release-content-embed--rich release-content-embed--contained\" id=\"embed-ad77f14d-b56a-4cce-b20d-e7512eb7a29e\"><div style=\"max-width: 550px;\"><div style=\"left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe data-iframely-url=\"https://cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?app=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FPM_ViktorOrban%2Fstatus%2F2045858614053613689%23_cb1776861933&key=8fe6cdec03482ac31f27a6ae8ea2fb3f\" style=\"top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;\" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div><script async src=\"https://cdn.iframe.ly/embed.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script></div><p>Oil flows were disrupted earlier this year after damage to the pipeline on Ukrainian territory. Ukraine has now completed repairs, allowing supplies to resume. This appears to have met Hungary&rsquo;s key condition forr lifting its opposition.</p><p>The dispute had also delayed a fresh round of EU sanctions on Russia, which were approved alongside the loan.</p><p>Ukraine is expected to need the funds by early June as it continues to defend itself against Russia&rsquo;s invasion.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><sup>&copy; Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP</sup></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
    "header": {
        "large": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/93f3d274-1b02-4259-8cc6-70b344b65f44/-/preview/1200x1200/-/format/auto/",
        "release": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/93f3d274-1b02-4259-8cc6-70b344b65f44/-/preview/1200x1200/-/format/auto/"
    },
    "author": {
        "first_name": "Flanders",
        "last_name": "News Service"
    },
    "format_version": 5
}