At a European Council summit in Brussels, Belgium, Hungary refused to lift its veto on a 90 billion euro ($104 billion) EU loan package intended to support Ukraine's government finances and war effort, despite strong pressure from other leaders, Euronews reported on March 19. The aid requires unanimous approval by all 27 member states, making Prime Minister Viktor Orban's opposition decisive.

Hungary's stance reflects ongoing disputes with Ukraine over disruptions to oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline, which Hungary relies on for energy supplies. The move is also probably part of Orban's electoral strategy ahead of Hungary's parliamentary elections, reinforcing his long-standing scepticism toward EU policies on Ukraine and Russia and his pledge to protect Hungary's interests.