EUR 90 billion Ukraine loan
EU €90 billion 18-month loan to Ukraine, passed March 2026 after Hungary lifted its veto.
Last refreshed: 5 April 2026
Will Hungary's election on 12 April change who blocks EU aid to Ukraine?
Timeline for EUR 90 billion Ukraine loan
Mentioned in: Tisza Leads Polls but EU Loan Faces June Delay
Russia-Ukraine War 2026How much money has the EU given Ukraine in 2026?
Why did Hungary block the EU Ukraine loan?
Background
The European Union approved a €90 billion loan package for Ukraine on 17 March 2026, covering 18 months of financial and military support. Hungary had blocked the package since February, with Foreign Minister Szijjártó conditioning consent on Druzhba pipeline repairs after a Russian drone strike damaged the Brody pumping station in January. The breakthrough came after Zelenskyy wrote to the European Commission promising repairs within 1-1.5 months.
The package is the largest single EU disbursement to Ukraine since the 2022 invasion. It covers budget support, reconstruction finance, and military procurement under the European Peace Facility. Hungary's Orbán had framed his opposition as a pipeline dispute; Zelenskyy called it 'blackmail' and claimed Hungary was acting as a proxy for Russia. Von der Leyen and Costa issued a joint statement upon passage.
The loan's implementation faced new turbulence by April 2026. Tisza, leading polls ahead of Hungary's 12 April election, instructed its MEPs not to vote for the package before the election, risking a June delay. The EU Commission had separately frozen Hungary from the €16.2 billion SAFE rearmament programme on 25 March.