EU formally approves €90bn Ukraine loan and 20th sanctions package against Russia

Ursula von der Leyen hails good news' after Hungary's lifting of vetoes allows leaders to sign off on agreements

EU leaders have welcomed the end of diplomatic deadlock over a long-awaited 90bn (78bn) loan for Ukraine, after the bloc finalised the agreement along with a 20th sanctions package against Russia.

After weeks of delay, the EU signed off on the loan on Thursday, in time for a summit in Cyprus that began in the evening and will include talks over a dinner with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.