El jefe de la UE promete conceder a Ucrania un préstamo de 90.000 millones de euros
La jefa de la UE, Ursula von der Leyen, declaró que el bloque hará efectivo un préstamo multimillonario a Ucrania a pesar de que Hungría, miembro del bloque amigo del Kremlin, vetó la medida.
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Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban is stalling both the 90-billion-euro loan as well as a fresh round of sanctions on Russia until Kyiv re-opens a key oil pipeline.
Ukraine says the Druzhba pipeline, which crosses its territory to deliver Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary, was damaged January 27 by Russian strikes.
"Let me be crystal clear ... the loan was agreed by 27 heads of state and government in the European Council. They have given their word. This word cannot be broken," von der Leyen said.
"We will deliver on the loan one way or the other. Let me be very clear. We have different options, and we will use them," she said at a press conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky marking the four-year anniversary of Russia's invasion.
Zelensky said that Russia had been responsible for the destruction of the pipeline and that even after it is fixed, Moscow forces were likely to strike it again.
He urged Orban to directly negotiate with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to halt strikes on the facility or agree on an "energy ceasefire" with Russia.
Von der Leyen meanwhile called for the repairs on the Druzhba pipeline to be "accelerated" following the Russian attacks.
Ukraine's relations with neighbouring Hungary have been strained by Orban's political support for Russia and have deteriorated further in recent weeks as the veteran leader has ramped up attacks on Ukraine ahead of a closely fought parliamentary election in April.