Hungary Drops Veto; EU Approves €90 Billion Ukraine Loan

On April 23, 2026, Hungary lifted its long-standing veto on the EU's €90 billion ($106 billion) loan package for Ukraine, enabling the bloc to formally approve the funds. The breakthrough came after Ukraine repaired the Druzhba oil pipeline — halted since January after a Russian drone strike — restoring cheap Russian oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia. Caretaker Prime Minister Orbán, whose election defeat by Péter Magyar had already weakened Hungary's leverage, dropped the veto under a deal tied to the pipeline restoration. Magyar's incoming government had signalled it would not maintain the blockade. The EU said the first disbursement would be made "as soon as possible".