On Tuesday 24 February, during a visit to Kyiv to mark the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, promised that the €90 billion loan would be implemented, despite Hungary’s blocking of the amendment to the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which is necessary for borrowing (see EUROPE 13813/23).
“The loan was agreed by 27 Heads of State and Government at the (December) European Council (see EUROPE 13776/1). They have given their word. It cannot be broken. 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 stressed alongside the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, without providing any further details.
At the same time, in Brussels, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, on behalf of the Presidency of the EU Council, signed the regulation implementing enhanced cooperation for the establishment of the €90 billion loan and the amendment to the regulation establishing the ‘Ukraine Facility’, following adoption by the EU Council earlier in the day.
In Kyiv, Ms von der Leyen explained that the Commission, in collaboration with Ukrainian forces, had defined an initial set of priority needs for the first disbursement of the loan. “Our aim is to deliver it before Easter. It includes drones and ammunition”, she said, adding that work was also being done on integrating both defence industries.
Support for the energy sector. The President of the Commission also reiterated that the EU would help Ukraine to get through the winter, which is particularly cold, and at a time when Russia is attacking its energy infrastructure. She announced a new €100 million package for immediate support to meet current needs.
Furthermore, according to Ms von der Leyen, in order to coordinate support, European Commissioner Dan Jørgensen and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, will convene an ‘Energy Ramstein’ in March. It will “ensure that Ukraine gets the exact supplies and material it needs now ensure that cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union is fluid and precise, and that Ukraine receives exactly the supplies and equipment it needs”, explained the President of the European Commission.
In a statement, the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ pledged to provide further assistance to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, “including through the ongoing provision of air defence”.
“A resilient and robust energy system will be needed ahead of next winter and for the country’s recovery”, warned the G7 in another statement.
The EU has heeded this call and is starting to prepare for next winter. “We will work on a new Winter Energy Plan for 2026-2027. We call it ‘Repair, Rebuild, Restart’. It will include a package of €920 million, to stabilise Ukraine’s energy system. It will secure the steady flow of electricity across the country. It will accelerate the decentralised production of renewable energy, (...) repair, rebuild and modernise grids (...) and repair and restart damaged power plants”, explained Ms von der Leyen.
Asked about the cutting of the Druzhba pipeline, the reason for Hungary’s ire against Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky pointed out that it was Russia that had hit the infrastructure. “When a Member State encounters a problem with a third country, it is the duty of the European institutions to support that Member State and to raise the issue with the third country. This is what we have done with President Zelensky”, said Mr Costa, adding that he had agreed with him that Kyiv would provide an estimate of the time needed to repair the pipeline “in the next few days”.
Mr Costa, like Ms von der Leyen, pointed out that while awaiting repairs, the Adriatic pipeline could supply the oil needed by Hungary and Slovakia, as could another pipeline passing through Ukraine, and that “this is therefore not an energy security issue”.
Strengthening sanctions. The President of the European Commission also promised that the 20th package of sanctions would soon be adopted, despite the current vetoes from Hungary and Slovakia.
“We will soon be finalising our 20th set of sanctions. (...) We are working in close coordination with our G7 partners to optimise their scope and impact”, she explained. While the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying economic pressure on Russia, the G7 made no mention of this in its declaration, nor of increased military support for Kyiv, although it did reiterate its “unwavering support” for Ukraine.
“We are counting on a strong and effective 20th sanctions package. It must be adopted as quickly as possible”, pleaded Mr Zelensky. The Russian ‘shadow fleet’ has no place in European waters and Russian oil and gas have no place on European markets”. He said that he had discussed with European leaders changes to European legislation that would allow Russian tankers to be boarded and the oil they were carrying to be seized. “It can be done”, said Mr Zelensky.
2027, Ukraine’s target date for accession. The Ukrainian President also called for a clear date for his country’s accession to the EU: 2027. “A specific date for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, 2027, is crucial for us. I hope it can be done, so that Putin cannot block our accession for decades”, he pleaded, saying he was ready for a fast-track procedure. “The date you set is your target to be achieved. From our side, the dates are not guaranteed, but we assure you of our unfailing support so that you can achieve your target”, replied Ms von der Leyen.
Mr Costa promised that Ukraine’s future lay within the European Union. “A prosperous and democratic Ukraine, anchored in the EU, is a guarantee of security for the whole of Europe and a key element in the peace process”, he stressed, pointing out that the country had already made “remarkable” progress on European reforms, even in the most difficult circumstances. “Technical preparations with the EU institutions are progressing well, and we can expect significant progress towards accession in the near future”, he said.
“Ukraine can count on our full support on its EU accession and its post war reconstruction”, promised the Presidents of the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament in a statement.
Despite these hopes, Hungary is still blocking the opening of accession negotiation chapters.
See the statement by the three Presidents of the European institutions: https://aeur.eu/f/kw7; that of the G7: https://aeur.eu/f/kw8; and that of the Coalition of the Willing: https://aeur.eu/f/kw9 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)