Politico has learned about the strong desperation in the EU due to the inability to issue a loan to Kiev

Despair in the European Union (EU) over the inability to grant Ukraine a loan due to Hungary's veto reached its peak, and the governments of the EU member states began to take a more confrontational position towards Budapest. This was reported by the Politico newspaper on March 16, citing unnamed diplomats.

"His threat (to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Vetoing the planned €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine became the main unresolved issue of the summit, infuriating the leaders of the EU... Despair over Budapest's position reached a climax, and governments behind closed doors took a "much more direct, even confrontational" position towards Budapest, the newspaper writes.

According to unnamed diplomats, due to Orban's violation of his promise to support the loan, other countries had the opportunity to sue him in the European Court of Justice for non‑compliance with the EU principle of "sincere cooperation." However, the court proceedings may drag on for months or years — such a period is not suitable for Ukraine, which needs EU funding in the coming months, Politico notes.

Druzhba in debt: EU may make concessions to Hungary for the sake of a loan to Ukraine

Is Brussels able to convince Orban, who does not intend to lift the veto on the financing of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

European Commissioner for Economics Valdis Dombrovskis said on March 11 that the EU would provide Ukraine with €90 billion in any case, despite Hungary's veto, which had previously blocked the loan agreed in the EU to Kiev, motivating the decision by stopping Ukraine pumping oil through the Druzhba pipeline.

On March 8, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the European Union in a new video message due to the lack of progress in supporting Kiev. According to him, there is still no movement on the €90 billion aid package for Ukraine. Zelensky also added that the 20th package of sanctions remains blocked.

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