Hungary and Slovakia block €90bn EU loan to Ukraine over Druzhba pipeline
Change
Hungary and Slovakia are withholding approval of the EU's €90bn loan package for Ukraine, citing a dispute over damage to the Brody oil hub that halted flows through the Druzhba pipeline after a Russian attack on 27 January.
Why it matters
The EU cannot finalise or disburse the loan without unanimous member consent, so Kyiv's access to the package is stalled while the dispute persists. The pipeline shutdown also tightens fuel supplies for Hungary and Slovakia because local refineries, including MOL, lack the equipment to process non-Russian crude.
Implications
- • EU negotiators and the European Commission must broker a technical agreement on the Brody damage assessment or secure compensatory assurances to obtain Hungary's and Slovakia's consent to proceed.
- • MOL refinery procurement and operations teams must secure alternative crude feedstock or accelerate processing upgrades to prevent domestic fuel shortages.
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