The European Union has committed an additional €80 million to support Ukraine, utilizing the profits generated from frozen Russian assets. The announcement was made by the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, during a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv.
During her address in the Ukrainian capital, Kallas emphasized the bloc's ongoing commitment to increasing economic pressure on Moscow. "The 20th package is ready for implementation, and we will tighten the noose even more, especially around Russia's 'shadow fleet'," the top EU diplomat assured.
Despite the new financial injection, broader European assistance faces significant diplomatic hurdles, primarily from Hungary. On March 19, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared that Budapest would block all decisions favorable to Ukraine until Kyiv resumes the transit of Russian oil through the "Druzhba" pipeline.
Echoing this stance, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, asserted that Ukraine would eventually be compelled to restore the pipeline's operations because the country will "run out of money."
Meanwhile, the broader financial strategy remains entangled in political gridlock. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed skepticism regarding a swift resolution to the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine, which currently remains stalled by Hungarian opposition.
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