Fact Check: Ukraine’s Russian Oil Restart and the EU’s €90 Billion Loan

TL;DR: The claim that Ukraine’s resumption of Russian oil to Europe unblocked the EU’s €90 billion loan is mostly true; the loan received preliminary approval on Wednesday as oil flowed again, but formal approval and first deliveries are still pending.

Claim: Ukraine restarted Russian oil deliveries to Europe via the Druzhba pipeline, which enabled the EU to unblock a €90 billion loan for Kyiv.

Evidence: EU diplomats in Brussels gave preliminary approval for the €90 billion loan on Wednesday. This decision coincided with the resumption of Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia. Hungary and Slovakia expect the first shipments by Thursday at the latest, according to Hungarian oil group MOL and Slovakia’s economy minister. The loan had been stalled for months due to a dispute over the pipeline’s operation, which Hungary and Slovakia linked to alleged delays by Ukraine.

Verdict: Mostly True.

Analysis: The timing of the preliminary loan approval and the oil flow restart supports the core of the claim, showing that the dispute over the Druzhba pipeline was a key factor in unblocking the EU funds. However, the EU has not yet formally approved the loan, and the first oil deliveries have not been confirmed as having arrived. Therefore, the statement overstates the completion of the process.

Watch for the EU’s formal loan approval expected Thursday and whether oil deliveries continue without interruption.