Brussels, March 19, 2026 (Lusa) - Portugal's prime minister said on Thursday he expects the European Union (EU) to unblock a €90 billion loan to Ukraine currently being blocked by Hungary, calling it a matter of credibility.
"It will be a matter of credibility for us to be able to unblock the financial support [for Ukraine] that we decided on at the last Council and, therefore, my expectation is that we will be able to do so," Luís Montenegro told journalists as he arrived for the European Council summit in Brussels.
The prime minister said it is "more important than ever" to reaffirm support for Kyiv and welcomed the fact that the war in Ukraine is a "priority point" on the agenda for this European Council summit.
"I believe it is a sign of unity and the reaffirmation of that principle of support," the prime minister said.
Hungary has been blocking a €90 billion loan to Ukraine approved at the December European Council, accusing Kyiv of deliberately blocking the transfer of oil to the country via the Druzhba pipeline.
Arriving at the European Council summit this morning, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said his country will not approve any measure in favour of Ukraine until Hungary receives oil, stressing that this is an "existential issue" for Budapest.
"The Hungarian position is very simple: we are available to support Ukraine as soon as we receive the oil they are blocking. Until then, Hungary will not support any position that is favourable to Ukraine," Viktor Orbán told journalists on arrival.
EU leaders meet on Thursday in Brussels to discuss the community response to the impacts of the military escalation in the Middle East, primarily to address high energy prices and ensure energy security.
The summit also comes at a time of tension between Hungary and Ukraine due to energy and political disputes related to the Druzhba pipeline following damage caused by a Russian attack; Kyiv says repairs are being delayed for security reasons, while Budapest calls it a deliberate Ukrainian action for political motives.
In response, Viktor Orbán’s government has used the EU veto to apply pressure, blocking financial support — namely the €90 billion community loan — to Ukraine until oil supplies are restored.
European sources told Lusa they do not expect progress on the loan during this summit, assuming that Viktor Orbán will maintain his veto ahead of the Hungarian general elections on 12 April, in which he is appearing second in several polls.
However, these sources expect EU leaders to express their displeasure with the constant Hungarian opposition as, due to this stance, the European Council has often been unable to adopt positions among the 27 in recent months — an institution that normally operates by unanimity.
TA/LYT // AYLS
Lusa
