The European Union has officially launched the internal process to unblock the 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, bringing the stalemate between Budapest and Kiev to an end after months of intrigue.
The so-called written procedure began on Wednesday afternoon during a meeting of ambassadors in Brussels. Member states have up to 24 hours to register any objections.
Cyprus, the country holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, expects the procedure to be completed on Thursday afternoon, when a final decision could be announced.
Hungary or Slovakia could prevent unanimous approval if they chose to do so, but diplomats believe this is unlikely.
Instead, EU diplomats consulted by Euronews believe that a deal is almost certain after the restoration of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which is at the center of the veto.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Soviet-era infrastructure, damaged in late January by Russian drones, has been repaired and can resume operations. Flows are expected to resume in the coming hours.
"The EU asked Ukraine to repair the Druzhba oil pipeline, which was destroyed by Russia. We have repaired it. We hope that the EU will also fulfill the agreed commitments," Zelenskyy said in his speech on Tuesday evening.
The €90 billion loan has been blocked for months by the outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, who has accused Kiev of blocking the flows for "political" reasons.
Orbán made his dispute with Zelenskyy over Druzhba a prominent theme in his explosive re-election campaign. However, the veteran prime minister was soundly defeated by opposition leader Péter Magyar on a promise to restore the rule of law, improve ties with the EU and unblock EU funds frozen by Brussels for violating the law.
The Hungarian transition, the first in 16 years, paved the way for breaking the deadlock.
Meanwhile, the sanctions package has been blocked by Hungary and Slovakia, also over the Druzhba issue. Slovakia has said its veto will be lifted once oil starts flowing again.
The sanctions include a complete ban on maritime services for Russian oil tankers, but this measure is conditional on an agreement at the G7 level after Malta and Greece, two coastal countries, expressed serious concerns.
The G7 deal is unlikely to happen anytime soon, given the White House's recent decision to extend sanctions relief on Russian oil, something that has Europeans worried.
