FM Sybiha at EU Foreign Affairs Council: Linking EUR 90B loan to Druzhba pipeline operation unacceptable

This was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha during the monthly meeting of the EU  Foreign Affairs Council, in which he participated online, according to Ukrinform, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The head of Ukrainian diplomacy thanked his colleagues from EU member states for their support, which helped Ukraine weather the harsh winter of war, and urged them not to lose focus on supporting Ukraine, as a just and lasting peace in Europe remains a shared priority.

Sybiha also emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to the peace process and readiness for the next round of trilateral talks, and called for continued pressure on the aggressor and increased support for Ukraine.

The Foreign Minister separately emphasized the need for the swiftest possible approval of the EU’s 20th sanctions package, as well as the need to unblock the agreed-upon EUR 90 billion loan and the inadmissibility of linking these funds to the operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline.

“In this context, any blackmail of Ukraine through the seizure of our people and state funds is absolutely unacceptable. We call on Hungary to ensure the return of state funds to Ukraine,” he emphasized.

Sybiha addressed the topic of Ukraine’s future EU membership and urged his colleagues to view it not only through the lens of enlargement but also as a crucial element of long-term security and stability in Europe.

As reported, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting that Hungary would block the granting of a EUR 90 billion EU loan to Ukraine and the adoption of the EU’s 20th package of sanctions against Russia as long as Ukraine blocks the transit of Russian oil to Europe via the Ukrainian “Druzhba” pipeline,