EU approves €90bn loan for Ukraine as pipeline is turned on ending deadlock

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🗞️ Driving the news: The European Union has approved a €90 billion loan package for Ukraine, after a political deadlock was resolved when oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline resumed toward Hungary and Slovakia

🔭 The context: The deal had been blocked for months by Viktor Orbán, who vetoed the funding after pipeline disruptions earlier this year
• Ukraine confirmed repairs following Russian attacks, allowing crude transit to restart
• Orbán had tied his approval to the restoration of oil flows and, following his recent electoral defeat, Budapest signaled a shift toward cooperation with Brussels
• The loan, alongside a new EU sanctions package on Russia, is expected to be formally adopted imminently

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The episode highlights Europe’s continued exposure to fossil fuel infrastructure tied to geopolitical tensions
• While the EU accelerates its energy transition, reliance on pipelines like Druzhba underscores the fragility of energy security and the difficulty of fully decoupling from Russian hydrocarbons
• At the same time, such crises often reinforce the case for domestic renewables and energy independence

⏭️ What’s next: Roughly two-thirds of the funding will support Ukraine’s defense, with the remainder aimed at economic stabilization
• However, disbursement could take weeks
• Russia has signaled it may halt other oil flows via the same network, keeping energy uncertainty high across Europe

💬 One quote: “Ukraine really needs this loan… it’s a sign that Russia cannot outlast Ukraine.” — Kaja Kallas

📈 One stat: The package totals €90 billion, making it one of the EU’s largest financial support efforts since the war began

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