Media: Orban government moves to unblock EU aid to Ukraine In exchange for oil talks progress

Hungary’s outgoing government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has indicated it is prepared to lift its veto this week on a €90 billion European Union credit package for Ukraine, according to Bloomberg.

The move is reportedly linked to parallel discussions in which Budapest, through mediation with Brussels, has received information from Kyiv regarding a possible resumption of Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline as early as April 20.

A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed that the European Union is maintaining contact with relevant parties to facilitate the restoration of flows through the pipeline system.

Earlier, Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, which won Hungary’s recent election, suggested that oil deliveries through Druzhba could resume next week. Reports have also indicated that following Orbán’s electoral defeat, repair work on the pipeline inside Ukraine has been accelerated.

On April 19, Orbán stated that Hungary would only refrain from blocking the EU financing package for Kyiv if oil supplies via Druzhba were restored. Budapest, however, would not take part in the funding mechanism itself.

By Aghakazim Guliyev