EU leaders pile pressure on Hungary's Orban to lift block on Ukraine loan

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is blocking a 90-billion-euro EU loan to Ukraine, preventing implementation of funding the bloc's leaders approved in December to support Kyiv's defense against Russia's invasion. Orban, who maintains friendly relations with Moscow and has repeatedly clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, cited a dispute over a war-damaged pipeline as justification for the blockade last month. EU leaders are now pressing Orban to lift the obstruction, as the funds are critical to sustaining Ukraine's military operations and economic stability during the ongoing war. The standoff reflects deeper tensions between Hungary's pro-Russia foreign policy orientation and the broader EU consensus on supporting Ukraine against Moscow's invasion.