Today at 01:03
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that the European Union’s 20th sanctions package against Russia will be strong, effective, and adopted as soon as possible. Speaking at a joint press conference with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Zelenskyy emphasized that the sanctions are a form of diplomacy Russia understands.
The leaders also discussed accelerating the €90 billion EU credit for Ukraine for 2026–2027, aimed at supporting energy security, modernizing military capabilities, and sustaining the country amid ongoing Russian attacks. Zelenskyy highlighted the need to coordinate air defense and energy infrastructure support, and praised the European Commission for joining the implementation of Ukraine’s updated Energy Strategy.
President von der Leyen confirmed that the EU is committed to providing the €90 billion credit “in one way or another”, noting that EU member states have already approved the decision. She added that European funding would support modern weaponry and a first priority package of drones and ammunition, with delivery targeted before Easter. Von der Leyen also announced that Ukraine and partners will hold a “Energy Ramstein” coordination meeting in March to streamline support and supplies.
On energy infrastructure, President Costa and Zelenskyy agreed that Ukraine will soon assess the time required to repair the Russia-damaged Druzhba pipeline. Zelenskyy stressed that linking the credit disbursement to pipeline restoration is inappropriate, noting that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán should address energy ceasefire requests directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Russia repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s critical pipelines.
Zelenskyy also underlined the importance of finalizing key geopolitical security guarantees, emphasizing the need for continued international support amid ongoing Russian aggression.
