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The new Prime Minister of Hungary, Péter Magyar, has stated that his country will lift its veto on a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine once oil flows through the “Druzhba” pipeline are restored.
According to Bloomberg, Magyar said he expects outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to lift Hungary’s veto on the EU loan for Ukraine once oil deliveries through the key pipeline resume.
Magyar’s comments in an interview with state television came after he earlier this week said that Hungary would not block Kyiv from receiving EU assistance.
He also said that Hungary would still opt out of financial participation in the loan.
EU loan for Ukraine
As previously reported, the election victory of Péter Magyar, leader of the “Tisza” party, does not automatically unblock the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine.
Magyar said he is ready to discuss the issue with European leaders, but the decision was effectively made by the European Council in December, when Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic were allowed not to participate in the program.
Even if Budapest withdraws its objections, Slovakia remains a hurdle, as Prime Minister Robert Fico has not changed his position.
In addition, bureaucratic procedures are expected to delay implementation, as forming a new Hungarian government itself will take time.
At the same time, it has become known that the European Commission has postponed the first tranche of the €90 billion loan for Ukraine.