At the EU summit held in Brussels, leaders from 25 member countries urged the rapid adoption of the 20th sanctions package against Russia and expect the first disbursements of a support loan for Ukraine by early April. Slovakia and Hungary, however, did not support the common conclusions of the European Council regarding Ukraine, with key demands such as the inclusion of a mention about the Druzhba pipeline being disregarded. This highlights the growing rifts within the EU regarding the response to the war in Ukraine.

Both Slovakia, under Fico's leadership, and Hungary, led by Orbán, are raising concerns related to the Druzhba pipeline, which is crucial for oil transit to both countries. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is particularly influential in holding up new restrictive measures against Russia, as he argues that the current situation regarding the pipeline's functionality must be addressed. Kyiv has claimed that Russian attacks have damaged the oil transit infrastructure, but Budapest and Bratislava are skeptical of these claims, indicating friction in how these nations perceive the ongoing conflict.

Diplomatic sources have confirmed to major outlets such as Politico, Euronews, and AFP that Orbán's reluctance to negotiate has resulted in a continued blockade of aid for Ukraine. The implications of this deadlock are serious as EU leaders must now navigate internal disagreements while also addressing the broader crisis created by the war, which has severe implications for European security and unity.