EU top diplomat expects 'positive decisions' on Ukraine loan

LUXEMBOURG

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas speaks with the media as she arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Luxembourg, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (AP Photo)

EU foreign chief Kaja Kallas said she expected "positive decisions" on April 22 to unblock a badly needed 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) loan for Ukraine, as hopes rise Hungary will drop its veto.

"We expect some positive decisions tomorrow (on April 22) on the 90 billion loan. Ukraine really needs this loan," Kallas said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on April 21 .

Outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had held up the money as leverage in a feud with Ukraine over the damaged Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil.

But Budapest raised expectations there could be an imminent shift as it said that Kyiv could announce Tuesday that oil was flowing again.

The movement comes after Russia-friendly Orban suffered a crushing election defeat last week to end his 16 years at the helm.

As hopes rose, EU officials said Monday that they would seek to get the final greenlight to release the loan at an upcoming meeting of EU diplomats in Brussels.

EU member states need to unanimously approve an amendment to the bloc's budget to get the loan going.

The April 22 meeting would ascertain consensus before a written procedure is launched for final adoption.

EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told AFP last week Brussels expected to start releasing the loan in the second quarter of the year.