Overview
- EU governments approved the €90 billion loan on Thursday after Russian oil flows on the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia resumed, with both countries and energy firm MOL confirming deliveries.
- The bloc also adopted a 20th Russia sanctions package that targets shadow-fleet oil shipments, adds banks, restricts use of Russian crypto, and freezes assets of about 60 more organizations.
- With Viktor Orbán defeated and absent from the Cyprus summit, diplomats say the EU can now start negotiating clusters for Ukraine and Moldova, with officials eyeing a late‑May ministers’ meeting and June milestones.
- Leaders in Cyprus reviewed the economic shock from the Middle East war and the near‑closure of the Strait of Hormuz, debated consumer energy relief, and heard calls to make the EU’s mutual aid clause, Article 42.7, workable in practice.
- Volodymyr Zelensky met European leaders to press for swift opening of chapters and to expand joint defense production, including drones that could speed supplies for Ukrainian forces and build capacity inside Europe.