Ukraine finance minister laments 'bad news from Brussels' as Hungary keeps veto on loan

Published on 19/03/2026 - 22:09 GMT+1

Ukrainian concern main Serhiy Marchenko lamented a veto from Hungary connected a €90 cardinal indebtedness issued by the EU to prop up his country's finances successful an interrogation with Euronews aft a Brussels acme successful which leaders vented vexation atViktor Orbán.

"Definitely not welcomed quality from Brussels," helium told Euronews Special Report connected Thursday. "But I americium assured that sooner alternatively than aboriginal we volition unafraid this loan."

The loan, approved by EU leaders successful December exempting Budapest from participating, has been hijacked by Hungary and Slovakia who impeach Ukraine of sabotaging the travel of inexpensive Russian lipid for governmental reasons done a Soviet-era pipeline.

In the tally up to the summit, the European Commission said Ukraine had agreed to an outer inspection successful an effort to triumph implicit the Hungarians. But Orbán told reporters successful Brussels determination volition beryllium "no money" for Ukraine until flows resume.

"It's not a joke; it's not a governmental game. Zelenskyy should recognize that!" helium told reporters successful Brussels Thursday. The 2 leaders person clashed for months each practically each subjects, from Ukraine's accession to the EU to sanctions connected Russia.

"We are doing the champion we can," Marchenko said, portion refusing to criticise Hungary openly oregon its politics. "I don't privation to remark connected thing that could question our credibility oregon springiness further arguments to our opponents."

Meanwhile, European leaders expressed vexation some privately and publically astatine the impasse. On his mode to the meeting, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told reporters Orbán is instrumentalising the pipeline and vilifying Ukraine for governmental reasons.

"He is utilizing Ukraine arsenic a limb successful his predetermination campaign. It is not good. We had a deal. And I deliberation helium has betrayed us," Orpo said successful an antithetic show of frustration.

A European diplomat told Euronews that the speech among leaders, which lasted astir 90 minutes, was severe. European Council President António Costa told the country that leaders had made a woody and accused Orbán of breaching the rule of bully religion binding each EU subordinate states connected the ground of "sincere cooperation."

Still, leaders hold a solution indispensable beryllium recovered arsenic determination is "no program B" and determination is nary appetite to reopen a treatment of seizing Russia's frozen assets to concern Ukraine. One diplomat told Euronews that enactment was "politically buried" successful December.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who rallied enactment against utilizing the Russian assets hosted by a depository successful Belgium, told reporters the absorption remains the loan.

Marchenko disagreed.

"We are acceptable to unfastened again this discussion," helium said. "In December, this intermediary measurement to supply €90 cardinal indebtedness was a bully signal. But the champion awesome would beryllium the reparation loan. It is perfectly needed arsenic Russia indispensable decidedly wage for the damage."

"We person not (given up) connected the reparations loan. Of people not," Marchenko added.

Watch the afloat interrogation with Ukrainian concern curate Serhiy Marchenko crossed each Euronews platforms, euronews.com and YouTube.