Overview
- The EU, which gave final approval Thursday, validated a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and adopted a 20th sanctions package against Russia.
- Ukraine repaired and restarted the Druzhba oil pipeline on Wednesday, restoring Russian crude flows to Hungary and Slovakia and removing Hungary's holdout.
- The EU will borrow the money on bond markets backed by the EU budget, with €45 billion planned for 2026 and €45 billion for 2027, and first payments expected by late May or early June.
- About €60 billion will fund Ukraine’s defense needs and €30 billion will support state services and repairs, with strict transparency and rule‑of‑law conditions on the use of funds.
- Some governments flagged lingering risks as Slovakia warned trust over oil transit is strained and Slovakia and the Czech Republic resist taking part in related guarantees, raising the chance of new disputes.