BRUSSELS, Belgium, March 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - EU leaders converge on Brussels Thursday hoping to unlock a massive loan for Kyiv, with the much-needed funding ensnared in a standoff between Hungary's Viktor Orban and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky. "If President Zelensky wants to get his money from Brussels, then the Druzhba pipeline must be reopened." But the frustration is palpable that Orban should renege on a loan he personally greenlit at a previous summit in December. "Everybody wants this to be resolved," summed up an EU diplomat, saying fellow capitals were "more or less fed up" with the Hungarian leader's behaviour. Facing a budget shortfall four years into the war, Kyiv is estimated to need an influx of funds in early May -- implying a decision to unlock the EU loan by mid-April.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 19, 2026 04:01 UTC