Overview
- Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten met Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, placing the Druzhba oil dispute with Hungary at the center of talks.
- Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is blocking a proposed €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine until oil flows resume, as Ukraine cites Russian damage to the pipeline and Hungary alleges deliberate withholding.
- At a joint briefing, Poland’s Donald Tusk called for a pragmatic solution, insisted the loan cannot be stopped after prior agreement, and accused Orbán of openly backing Vladimir Putin.
- Slovakia’s Robert Fico has threatened to block the loan and plans to press for sending experts to the pipeline in talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
- Jetten urged that support for Ukraine not fade as the Middle East war strains air-defence stocks, while Zelensky said Ukrainian experts will head to the region and noted the Netherlands’ multi-year military funding and planned cooperation on drones and radar.