These talks took place as part of permanent contact between the two leaders, which, as the European Commission emphasized, is constantly maintained. During the afternoon discussion, von der Leyen and Zelensky discussed shared priorities, including the rapid completion of the EUR 90 billion loan process for 2026 and 2027 and issues related to the new sanctions package, which was to be adopted on February 24 – the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion.
However, both the loan and the sanctions were blocked by Hungary. Budapest, accusing Kiev of deliberately blocking the transmission of crude oil after damaging the Druzhba pipeline in January, announced that it would not support any decisions favorable to Ukraine. Prime Minister Viktor Orban openly declared his position, which caused tensions in relations between Ukraine and Hungary. As a result of the attack on the pipeline, the transit of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia was suspended, which further aggravated the situation. On Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the European Commission announced that various options for unblocking the loan are still being analyzed.
Read also: Dispute over the Druzhba pipeline and supplies of Russian oil. Media: The EU is putting pressure on Ukraine
During the conversation, von der Leyen and Zelensky also raised issues related to energy security, going beyond the problem of the Druzhba pipeline failure. The discussion also concerned the broader impact of events in the Middle East on energy prices and the availability of key defense materials. Both topics are particularly important in the context of the ongoing conflict and its effects on the stability of the region.
