Full Hungarian translation: Ukraine bailout and Russia sanctions approved

On Wednesday, the ambassadors of the EU countries approved Ukraine’s 90 billion euro support package and the 20th sanctions package against Russia.

Officially, the matter has been approved after the written procedures, which expire on Thursday at 14:00 Finnish time. By then, Hungary must notify if it does not accept the solutions. However, the decisions have already been approved by the ambassadors of 27 member countries.

Both the Ukrainian aid loan and the Russian sanctions have been stuck due to Hungary’s opposition. After the change of leadership in Hungary, both proposals strengthening Ukraine’s defense began to move forward, when the leader of the Tisza party, which won the elections Péter Hungarian promised to return Hungary to EU cooperation.

Hungary has also previously been chafed by the Druzhba oil pipeline running through Ukraine, which was damaged by Russian strikes in January. Through the pipeline, Hungary and Slovakia have received Russian oil.

Hungary and Slovakia have accused Ukraine of deliberately delaying the repair of the pipeline.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi announced on Tuesday that the pipe had been repaired and on Wednesday oil started flowing through the pipe again.

Once the EUR 90 billion loan package has been approved, Ukraine can get the first loan money in mid-May.

An extensive package of sanctions

On Wednesday, the EU’s extensive sanctions package against Russia was also provisionally approved. It includes, among other things, Finland’s maritime service ban for Russian crude oil and refined products. The implementation of the ban on maritime services is to be decided together with the G7 countries.

According to Reuters, the sanctions package imposes, among other things, extensive technical, financial and brokerage-related service restrictions on Russian LNG tankers and icebreakers.

It also expands Russia’s shadow fleet list by 46 ships, bringing the banned list to more than 600 shadow ships.

The package also includes adding 120 people and other entities to the sanctions list, which means that they would have travel bans and asset freezes.

There will also be asset freezes for 56 Russian military industrial complexes and 36 entities related to Russian energy and the shadow navy.

The package also includes transaction bans for 20 Russian banks and financial institutions operating in other countries.

The sanctions also include bans on the import of metals and chemicals. They include, among others, nickel bars, Iron ores and concentrates, copper and various metal scraps and aluminum. In addition, the import ban would include salt, ammonia, stones, silicon and fur skins.

Now begins a billion-dollar battle, where the future of Hungarians is at stake