EU foreign ministers expect a number of key decisions to support Ukraine in the coming days, in particular the unblocking of a 90bn-euro loan, the adoption of a new package of sanctions against Russia and the opening of clusters in Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations.
The ministers said this as they arrived for a meeting in Luxembourg on 21 April.
“We expect tomorrow positive decisions on the 90 billion loan. Ukraine really needs this loan and it is also a signal that Russia will not be able to hold out longer than Ukraine, it is very important now,” said EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas.
The urgency of the decision was also emphasised by the German minister. “The unblocking of the 90 billion loan needs to happen very quickly. For Ukraine it is about everything,” – said Johann Wadeful.
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According to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, the first tranche could arrive as soon as possible: “it is very important to act quickly and make the first payment as early as next month.”
The European Commission also says the funding will start soon, provided the Druzhba oil pipeline resumes operation. “If oil leaves the Druzhba again in the coming days, we will be able to start repaying the 90 billion euro loan very quickly,” said European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos.
Swedish Minister Maria Malmer Stanergaard said that if the pipeline is tested today, the first tranche could reach Ukraine as early as mid-May.
The ministers also expect progress in sanctions policy. “The 20th sanctions package should be adopted as soon as possible,” Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen emphasised.
And the Swedish minister called for going even further. “The 20th package is not comprehensive enough, so we should already start work on the 21st. We must continue to increase the pressure,” said Maria Malmer Stanergaard.
At the same time, the EU also expects a breakthrough in the issue of Ukraine’s European integration. “Ukraine is ready to formally open all six negotiation clusters, and we are also ready,” Marta Kos said.
The Estonian foreign minister expressed a similar position. “I hope that we will find a way to open the first negotiation clusters. This is a historic moment,” Margus Tsahkna stated.
Also, some ministers spoke favourably about the very fact of the change of power in Hungary.
“I am quite optimistic that after the Hungarian obstacle has been removed, so to speak,” said Maria Malmer Stanergaard.
“Now we will no longer have, so to speak,” a Trojan horse “in our castle, in our room – and that’s a good thing”, Lithuanian minister Kęstutis Budrys said.
The day before, the speaker of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU said that the European Union could take a decisive step to unblock a €90bn loan for Ukraine as early as 22 April. The issue of amending the EU’s multi-annual budget (MFF) is on the agenda of the meeting of EU member states’ ambassadors (Coreper II). It is this amendment that is the last necessary element to trigger the funding mechanism for Ukraine.
Hungary’s parliamentary elections were won by the Tisza party. Its leader Péter Magyar made it clear that he would lift the veto imposed by the current Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on the allocation of a 90 billion euro loan to Kiev. At the same time, he noted that Hungary will not be financially responsible for this loan and is against Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the EU. He conditioned the normalisation of relations with Kiev on the observance of the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.