Kaja Kallas on the โฌ90bn loan: "I don't want to jinx it. I hope everything goes well, because we have seen some turns in this file. But this is the agreement that we had in December. Resuming (flows) is a promise that Ukraine made, so hopefully, all the obstacles are removed."
#BREAKING: The Druzhba pipeline that carries Russian oil through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia has been repaired and "can resume operation", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced, ending a months-long standoff between Kyiv and Budapest.
https://l.euronews.com/fsJy
Full story: Zelenskyy announces that Druzhba is repaired and can resume operations.
The news paves the way for Hungary to lift the veto on the โฌ90 billion loan.
๐จ๐จ๐จ Just in: Volodymyr Zelenskyy announces that the Druzhba pipeline has been repaired.
"Ukraine has completed repair work on the section of the Druzhba oil pipeline that was damaged by a Russian strike. The pipeline can resume operation."
Dombrovskis says it will be "more effective" to have a G7 deal before the EU moves ahead with the full ban on maritime services for Russian tankers.
"But we should not be making ourselves dependent on this," he says. "In this case, we need to act as the EU and sustain and increase this pressure."
"Now it's not the time to release pressure on Russia. We need to continue with sanctions, we need to continue with the G7 price cap, because it's exactly what Russia is benefiting from: higher oil prices," he adds.
The US decision to extend sanctions waivers for Russian oil is "difficult to understand", Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis says. "I had no indication that the new waiver was being prepared. But, indeed, a couple of days later, there was a new waiver."
The EU is increasingly optimistic that Hungary is about to lift its veto on the โฌ90 billion loan for Ukraine.
A vote among ambassadors could take place as soon as Wednesday if Druzhba reopens and Orbรกn relents.
Watch this space.
๐ช๐บ๐ณ๏ธโ๐ Big news: the European Court of Justice (ECJ) rules that Hungary's so-called Child Protection Law discriminates against gay and trans people and should be repealed.
It is the first time the ECJ declares a member state has violated the EU fundamental values enshrined in Article 2.
Spain's move to terminate the EU-Israel Association Agreement is doomed to fail. There's not even support to partially suspend the agreement, a proposal that has been on the table since last year. Germany and Italy are key in the equation and remain opposed. Don't expect movement any time soon.
The Cyprus presidency of the EU Council has added the Ukraine loan to the meeting of ambassadors on Wednesday, in case Viktor Orbรกn lifts his veto by then.
Only one regulation, which depends on unanimity, is pending. The other two parts are already approved.
The Commission explains the banner is part of a new campaign called "Democracy, protect what matters" to engage young Europeans.
The European Commission unveils new look. Coincidence?
๐ท credit: @evelyndom.bsky.social
Just in: Slovenia's Robert Golob says he has failed to form a coalition government after narrowly winning last month's elections. "We are looking forward to our work in the opposition," Golob said.
This could pave the way for Janez Janลกa's comeback.
"What Europe needs now is critical thinking, pragmatic action, and tangible results, to restore its industrial strength and competitiveness. This will be Bulgariaโs main contribution."
Radev: "Bulgaria will continue on its European path. A strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe requires critical thinking and pragmatism. Europe has, in many ways, become a victim of its ambition to act as a moral leader in a world without clear rules."
Rumen Radev, a critic of EU aid to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia, who once said "Crimea is Russian", has won the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria.
Pedro Sรกnchez calls on the EU to terminate its Association Agreement with Israel altogether.
"A government that violates international law and, therefore, the principles and values of the EU cannot be our partner," he said.
Viktor Orbรกn says he will lift the veto on the โฌ90 billion loan for Ukraine before leaving office if Druzhba is restarted.
โOnce oil deliveries are restored, we will no longer stand in the way of approving the loan,โ he says.
๐จ The US has extended sanctions relief for Russian oil just *two* days after Scott Bessent publicly said the policy wonโt be further renewed.
The renewed license will be in effect until May 16 and supersede the sanctions waiver on Russia that expired on April 11.
๐จ New twist: Iran says it has reasserted โstrict controlโ over the Strait of Hormuz because the US has decided to maintain its naval blockade.
More from Trump: "Iran has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again. It will no longer be used as a weapon against the World!"
Donald Trump doesn't seem very interested in the multinational mission that Macron and Starmer just announced in Paris...
Friedrich Merz insists that Germany's participation in the mission is dependent on a mandate by the UN Security Council and authorisation by the Bundestag.
He says it would be "desirable" to add the US, which was excluded from today's meeting.
Military planners from countries willing to participate in the mission will meet next week to advance preparations for the mission, Starmer adds.
Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer announce a multinational mission to permanently restore navigation through the Strait of Hormuz "as soon as" conditions allow deployment.
The mission will be strictly "defensive" and "peaceful" to escort commercial ships and demine the seas, Starmer says.
Represented at ministerial level: ๐ธ๐ฆ๐จ๐ณ๐จ๐พ๐ญ๐ท๐ช๐ธ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฏ๐ด๐ฒ๐พ๐ฒ๐น๐ต๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ธ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ด๐น๐ญ๐น๐ท๐ป๐ณ
Plus ๐ช๐บ Ursula von der Leyen, from the European Commission, and ๐ Arsenio Dominguez, from the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Source: lโรlysรฉe
Which world leaders joined today's meeting on the Strait of Hormuz? Here's a provisional list.
Co-hosts: ๐ซ๐ท๐ฌ๐ง
In person: ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฎ๐น
Remote: ๐ฆ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ง๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ฏ๐ช๐ช๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ท๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ป๐ฑ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐ช๐ณ๐ด๐ณ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ต๐น๐จ๐ฟ๐ท๐ด๐ธ๐ฌ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ช๐บ๐ฆ
Donald Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open and ready for business", but the US will maintain its naval blockade on Iranian-linked ships until negotiations with Tehran are "100% complete".
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer are in Paris holding a VTC with other leaders to put together a special mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz.