Ambassadors of EU countries made significant decisions, approving a €90 billion loan for Ukraine. At the same time, the twentieth package of anti-Russian sanctions was agreed upon, as reported by Reuters citing the Cypriot presidency in the EU. "EU ambassadors approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine, as well as the 20th package of sanctions against Russia," the official statement said.
Large-scale Sanctions Package
The twentieth sanctions package presented by the European Commission on February 6 includes a complete ban on servicing the transportation of Russian oil. It also provides for the expansion of the sanctions lists, adding another 43 tankers, bringing the total number of vessels under restrictions to 640.
In addition, a ban has been introduced on the acquisition of new vessels, as well as on the maintenance of gas carriers and icebreakers. Twenty regional banks and several crypto platforms will be added to the sanctions lists.
The restrictions will affect the import of Russian metals, chemicals, and critical minerals worth over €570 million. The export of goods to the Russian Federation will also be restricted for amounts exceeding €360 million.
However, according to Reuters, a complete ban on maritime transportation of Russian oil was excluded from the sanctions finally approved by EU ambassadors.
Unblocking Financial Aid and Oil Supplies
The allocation of the loan to Ukraine had previously faced obstacles from Hungary. Budapest demanded the resumption of oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline.
The situation changed after Prime Minister Viktor Orban's defeat in the elections held on April 12, 2026, which allowed the process to be unblocked. The approval of the loan and anti-Russian sanctions coincidentally aligned with the resumption of supplies through the pipeline.
Hungarian company MOL confirmed that the first batches of crude oil, following the resumption of the Ukrainian section of the pipeline, will arrive in Hungary and Slovakia no later than April 23. This marks an important step in the energy stability of the region.
