UKRAINE PERSPECTIVE

Kyiv welcomes the breakthrough with relief tinged by bitterness. Zelensky posted that implementation of the 90 billion euro package was "underway," adding that "the breakthrough sends the right signal in current circumstances." Yet the phrasing is diplomatically icy. Ukraine had to repair a pipeline damaged by a Russian strike for Hungary to finally lift its veto—in other words, Kyiv had to guarantee the flow of Russian oil to an EU member state to obtain the funds it needs to survive the war conducted by that same oil. Ukrainska Pravda emphasizes that the EU has "not yet formally approved" the 90 billion, reminding that Zelensky distinguishes between political agreement and actual disbursement. Ukrainian media also underscores that the 20th sanctions package is insufficient: no total ban on maritime services for Russian tankers, which Kyiv had demanded. Ukraine no longer simply counts sanctions packages—it measures their quality. Zelensky stated it explicitly: "It's not the number of packages that matters, but their quality." The Druzhba pipeline, repaired by Ukraine, will deliver oil to Slovakia starting the next day. The irony is structural: Ukraine finances its own defense by facilitating the energy revenues of its allies' enemy.