Ukraine to Resume Druzhba Oil Flows April 21, Unlocking €90 Billion EU Aid

Ukraine will resume oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline on Tuesday, April 21, ending a three-month blockade. This restart clears the final obstacle for a Wednesday EU ambassador vote to release €90 billion in EU financing for Kyiv, as reported by Bloomberg on Monday.

The pipeline, which delivers oil to Hungary and Slovakia, was struck by Russian drones on January 27, halting deliveries. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had conditioned his EU veto on the pipeline's restart, stating, «no oil = no money.» Hungary's outgoing government signaled readiness to support the loan if shipments restart.

The €90 billion package represents two-thirds of Ukraine's 2026–2027 budget gap and is crucial for maintaining state and army operations. It also unlocks a parallel $8.2 billion IMF program. The loan is funded by EU borrowing and serviced by interest from €210 billion in frozen Russian assets; Ukraine repays only if Russia pays war reparations.