Hungary has announced it will block a €90 billion emergency EU loan for Ukraine, accusing Kyiv and Brussels of “blackmail” regarding disrupted Russian oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó claims the transit halt is a coordinated effort to raise fuel prices and influence Hungary’s upcoming election, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is currently trailing in polls. While Ukraine denies blame and cites Russian strikes for the pipeline damage, the dispute has derailed a financial package that had already received preliminary approval from EU leaders and the European Parliament. The European Commission has scheduled an emergency meeting for next week to address the crisis.
Date: February 20, 2026. Source: euronews.com