Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday called on the European Union to overcome Hungary’s veto of a €90 billion ($103 billion) loan package critical to Kyiv, warning that delays threaten urgently needed financial support.
Speaking during a visit to Madrid, where he met Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Zelensky said the blocked loan would be the central issue at an upcoming EU summit in Brussels later this week.
“We are really counting on the countries and the EU to find ways to resolve this issue,” Zelensky said.
The funding package has been stalled by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as the closest ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin within the EU. Budapest’s objections are partly tied to disruptions in the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Hungary with Russian oil.
Kyiv has said the pipeline was damaged by Russian strikes in January. EU officials this week offered to deploy technical experts to assist with repairs.
Zelensky reiterated that the delay was unjustified, noting the loan had already been agreed in principle before the end of 2025.
“It is unfair,” he said. “In my view, appropriate arguments will be found” to unblock the funding.
The Ukrainian leader’s trip to Spain follows a stop in London and is part of a broader diplomatic push to keep Russia’s war against Ukraine high on Europe’s agenda.
The effort comes as European leaders grapple with the geopolitical fallout from the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran in the Middle East.
Sánchez reaffirmed Spain’s support for Ukraine, saying “nothing and nobody can make us forget what is happening in Ukraine.”
“We will continue to be by your side, as we always have been,” he added.
Spain also pledged to deepen defense-industrial cooperation with Ukraine, with ministers from both countries signing multiple agreements across sectors. Sánchez announced €1 billion in bilateral support for Ukraine in 2026, including funding for joint defense initiatives.
Zelensky’s visit marks his fourth trip to Spain since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. He was also expected to meet King Felipe VI later on Wednesday.