EU still to provide 90-bln-euro loan to Ukraine - von der Leyen

BRUSSELS. March 20 (Interfax) - The European Union will still provide Ukraine with a 90-billion-euro loan package for 2026-2027, which has been blocked by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

"We will deliver one way or the other. We have challenging tasks ahead of us, but today we have strengthened our resolve," von der Leyen said at a press conference in Brussels early on Friday morning after a European Council meeting.

When commenting on the circumstances in which European leaders agreed this loan for Kiev in December 2025, she said that a condition was fulfilled that three EU countries would not participate in the loan. The 27 EU member states' agreement is based on that.

"So let us be clear about where we stand. The loan remains blocked because one leader is not honoring his word," von der Leyen said, adding that Ukraine would still receive this loan.

In turn, European Council President Antonio Costa said the heads of state and government adopted the decision [on the loan] by consensus after a debate. He was asked how Orban can block the process earlier agreed by the EU countries' leaders,.

At the current EU summit, EU leaders condemned Orban's stance, telling him that EU needs to honor its word, Costa said.

Orban said a day earlier that Budapest will continue blocking the EU's plan to provide a 90-billion-euro loan to Kiev until Russian oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline resume.

"We have the right to say no to the Ukrainian war loan. As long as Ukrainian President Zelensky does not lift the oil blockade, they will not receive any money from Brussels," Orban said on social media on Thursday..

Hungary and Slovakia have not been getting Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline since January 27 because of the blocking by Ukraine.