€90 billion loan ‘must be implemented’, Zelenskyy says amid Orbán veto

The presidents of the three EU institutions, Ursula von der Leyen (Commission), António Costa (Council) and Roberta Metsola (Parliament), have published a joint statement marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The message pays tribute to the bravery of the Ukrainian people and recaps the multiple strands of support delivered by the EU over the past four years, namely military, financial and energy aid. It also vows to hold Russia accountable for its war of aggression.

“Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is the cornerstone,” the statement reads. “No country can annex its neighbour. Borders cannot be changed by force. The aggressor cannot be rewarded.”

Apart from the President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Croatia, Norway, and Sweden are also in Kyiv.

Zelenskyy’s press secretary said the full programme of the day will not be made public in advance due to security issues.

Serhii Nykyforov said that the foreign leaders will visit an energy infrastructure facility destroyed by Russian shelling. A meeting of the Coalition of the Willing and the Ukraine-Nordic-Baltic Summit are also taking place on Tuesday.

Notably absent are representatives from the Trump administration.

In the video address dedicated to the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed to Donald Trump to visit Kyiv.

“I really want to come here with the president of the United States one day. I know for certain: only by coming to Ukraine, and seeing with one’s own eyes our life and our struggle, feeling our people and the enormity of this pain – only then can one understand what this war is really about.”

A trip to Ukraine might make it clear to Trump “who the aggressor is here and who must be pressured”, Zelenskyy said. 

Ministers for European Affairs held a minute of silence to commemorate the victims of Russia’s war in Ukraine at the start of their meeting in Brussels.

The General Affairs Council meets each month to discuss European affairs.

This time, the ministers are preparing for the March EU summit, and they are also discussing recent vetoes by Hungary on support for Ukraine. Overnight, the Council building was lit in the Ukrainian national colours, just like other EU buildings in Brussels.

At NATO HQ in Brussels, Secretary General Mark Rutte and Head of Ukraine’s Mission to NATO, Alyona Getmanchuk, commemorated the&nbspfourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a short ceremony. 

Ambassador Getmanchuk paid tribute to the “extraordinary resilience” of the Ukrainian people for standing “firm, bravely and unbroken for four long bloody years” of war. She said “many around the world didn’t believe” Ukraine would be able to resist the Russian army in all its might. 

But, she said, the “courage of President Zelenskyy’s refusal to leave the country broke Putin’s calculation and inspired the country to resist” the Russian army. She also praised the “bravery” of her country’s armed forces and the “resilience” of the civilian population.

Meanwhile, Rutte recommitted NATO’s support for Ukraine throughout the war. “This war is about a sovereign people’s right to forge its own path”, he said in his statement. “It’s about freedom – yours and ours.”

“When the fighting eventually stops, the peace has to hold. With strong Ukrainian forces ready to deter and defend, and security guarantees from Ukraine’s partners: Europe, Canada and the United States.” 

We bring you now the final lines from Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech to the European Parliament.

“Please continue to defend our European way of life. Please support Ukraine. Please support our diplomacy for peace and be effective. Every result you achieve is a line that Putin cannot cross,” he tells MEPs.

“Thank you for all these years. Thank you so much. Slava Ukraini.”

Speaking to journalists upon arriving at the General Affairs Council in Brussels, Hungary’s Minister for European Affairs, János Bóka, said that the fourth anniversary of the start of the full-scale invasion is also a warning for the EU to work toward peace.

“This is a warning sign to the institutions and member states of the European Union that they should work more seriously for peace than before and support efforts that offer real hope of success,” he said. “Currently, there is such an initiative — President Trump’s peace initiative — which Hungary fully and unconditionally supports.”

Minister Bóka added that he will call on EU institutions and member states to support Hungary and Slovakia in their dispute with Ukraine over the Druzhba pipeline.

Zelenskyy has backed the idea of banning the entry of Russian soldiers who have fought in Ukraine into the passport-free Schengen area.

“We must continue applying the full range of protection against Russia, from strong sanctions to real support for life after Russian strikes. Each of you understands what fills Putin’s wallet with money and allows him to drag out this war,” he told MEPs.

“So there must be no place in the free world for Russian oil, for Russian tankers, banks (or) for any Russian war criminals. The time has come to fully ban all participants in Russia’s aggression from entering Europe.”

The idea of a Schengen ban on former Russian combatants has been under discussion since Estonia brought it to the table last month. “We do not want war criminals and saboteurs to roam our streets,” High Representative Kaja Kallas said on Monday.

Almost all the MEPs present in the room have expressed their support for Volodymyr Zelenskyy after watching his speech broadcast live to the hemicycle.

While the event has been significantly better-attended than an average plenary session, some empty seats could be spotted in the right-wing side of the Parliament.

In London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has just delivered a few remarks ahead of a Cabinet meeting on the war in Ukraine.

He said the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, scheduled to take place via video conference from 12.00 CET, will aim to take the work on security guarantees for Ukraine following a ceasefire “further forward”.

“In terms of getting to that just and lasting peace, it is Putin who’s standing in the way,” he said, adding that Ukraine’s partners must “double down” on their support for the war-torn country and continue to up their pressure on Russia.

He noted that the conflict, which is the deadliest Europe has seen since WWII, has impacted British people “over and above”, notably through a surge in energy prices.

Zelenskyy has encouraged Europeans to show unity and courage in the face of Russian aggression.

“We can see how Russia shows contempt for Europe,” he told MEPs.

“Russia must know that Europe is not just a land for the villas of Russian oligarchs. It’s not a museum for the lovers of Russian officials to admire beauty, or a place of leisure for Russian killers,” he added.

“Russians must learn that Europe is a nation of independent nations and millions of people who do not tolerate humiliation and will not accept violence.”

Zelenskyy urges his audience to agree a “clear date” for his country to join the European Union as part of the ongoing peace negotiations. Otherwise, he warned, Vladimir Putin will seek to divide the bloc and pit member states against each other.

“It’s important for us to receive a clear date for joining the EU. It’s very important, as part of the diplomatic process right now (aimed) at ending the war,” he says. “And this is not just a wish, it’s a clear understanding of how Putin will act.”

“If there is no date, if there is no such guarantee, he will find a way to block Ukraine for decades by dividing you, by dividing Europe. We must protect ourselves from this.”

Ukraine’s accession process has been paralysed by Hungary’s veto since the summer of 2024.

European lawmakers gave Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a standing ovation after he addressed them remotely from Kyiv.

MEPs are taking part in a special session convened on Tuesday to mark the sombre occasion.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola delivered an introductory statement before giving the floor to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“Today, we honour the bravery of the Ukrainian people. We reaffirm our concrete support. […] we have not let Ukraine down,” she said, recalling the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion four years ago.

““On 24 February 2022, as tanks rolled across European borders and war descended on our continent, Russia thought they could take Ukraine in days,” she said. “Ukrainians proved them wrong.”

“Metsola also made clear that EU support for Ukraine has been “not solely based on altruism”.

““We act because we know what is at stake for all of us”, she said, claiming she is proud of what the Union has done so far and promising more help.

““We will keep stepping up our support. Later today, we will sign into law a €90 billion loan to shore up essential public services and keep Ukraine’s defences strong”, she said, referring to the European Parliament’s approval of the EU budget-funded loan, which is currently blocked by Hungary.

Zelenskyy is now speaking about the European Union’s €90 billion loan to Ukraine, which has been suddenly blocked by a last-minute veto from Hungary.

“This is a real financial guarantee for our security and our resilience,” he tells MEPs. “It must be implemented. And I thank everybody who’s working to make it happen.”

The loan is meant to cover Ukraine’s financial and military needs for 2026 and 2027. The country has said it needs a fresh injection of foreign aid as early as April.

Britain on Tuesday unveiled what it is describing as its biggest package of sanctions against Russia “since the early months of the invasion in 2022”.

The new package targets pipeline company PJSC Transneft, which London says is responsible for transporting over 80% of Russian oil exports, as well as “Russia’s dark web of illicit oil traders”, including 175 companies in the “2Rivers” oil network, one of the largest shadow fleet operators globally and a major trader of Russian crude oil.

Also targeted are 49 entities and individuals involved in sustaining Russia’s war machine, three civil nuclear energy companies and two individuals involved in trying to secure contracts for new Russian nuclear installations overseas, and nine Russian banks that process cross-border payments.

In his virtual speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls on Europeans and Americans to stand together in the face of Russia’s “ruthless” war.

“Today we must be just as determined as we were when the invasion began,” he says.

He then admits that maintaining transatlantic cooperation is not “an easy task”.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has just published his reply to European Council President António Costa after Costa accused him of breaching the principle of sincere cooperation for suddenly vetoing the €90 billion loan to Ukraine.

“I am one of the most disciplined and consistent members of the Europan Council,” the Hungarian leader says. “You also certainly see the absurdity of the situation: we take a decision financially favourable to Ukraine that I personally disapproved, then Ukraine creates an energy emergency situation in Hungary, and you ask me to pretend nothing happened.”

“This is not possible,” he adds. “I am not in a position to support any decision whatsoever favourable to Ukraine until they return to normality.”

Roberta Metsola, the president of the European Parliament, has now opened the special plenary session dedicated to the fourth anniversary of Russia’s war of aggression.

Hungary’s decision to simultaneously veto the €90 billion assistance loan to Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia has sent tensions soaring.

High Representative Kaja Kallas and European Council President António Costa have both accused Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of breaching the principle of sincere cooperation.