Finance
EU Formally Approves Ukraine Loan and 20th Sanctions Package Against Russia
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 23, 2026
1 min readLast updated: April 23, 2026
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The EU formally approved a €90 billion loan to Ukraine and a 20th sanctions package against Russia, after Hungary lifted its veto following the reopening of the Druzhba oil pipeline.
EU Formally Approves Ukraine's €90 Billion Loan and 20th Sanctions on Russia
EU Approvals and Strategic Measures
Formal Approval of Loan and Sanctions
BRUSSELS, April 23 (Reuters) - The European Union on Thursday formally approved a promised 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine as well as a new package ofsanctions against Russia, the bloc's Cypriot presidency said on social media platform X.
EU's Strategy for Peace in Ukraine
"The EU's strategy to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine rests on two pillars: strengthening Ukraine; increasing pressure on Russia. Today we moved forward on both," European Council President Antonio Costa said in a separate post on X.
Background: Approval Process and Key Players
EU ambassadors had already approved the loan and the sanctions package on Wednesday after Hungary lifted its veto, paving the way for the formal approval.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Lili Bayer, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Editing by inti Landauro)
Key Takeaways
- •The €90 billion support loan, agreed in December 2025, includes €60 billion for defence and €30 billion for budget support, to be repaid only when Russia pays war reparations (europarl.europa.eu)
- •Hungary dropped its veto after Ukraine restored the Druzhba oil pipeline supplying Hungary and Slovakia (euronews.com)
- •This marks the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia, reinforcing pressure while strengthening Ukraine’s resilience (euronews.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about EU formally approves Ukraine loan and 20th sanctions package against Russia
1What loan amount did the EU approve for Ukraine?
The EU formally approved a €90 billion loan to Ukraine.
2What is included in the EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia?
The sanctions package is part of increasing pressure on Russia, though detailed measures were not specified in the article.
3Who announced the approval of the loan and sanctions package?
The approval was announced by the EU's Cypriot presidency and supported by European Council President Antonio Costa.
4Which country lifted its veto allowing for the approval?
Hungary lifted its veto, enabling formal approval of the loan and sanctions.
