NEW YORK — A bankruptcy judge on Monday gave Chrysler access to a crucial $4.5 billion to fund the carmaker's operations through the end of June, creating a "bridge" to the sale of the company's most valuable assets to Italy's Fiat Group.

Chrysler won the interim approval for the government loan and immediate use of $1.8 billion, staving off the immediate threat of liquidation for now. Access to the full $4.5 billion requires final approval in a later hearing.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Arthur Gonzalez overruled objections from a dissident group of Chrysler lenders, who argued that the loan was too closely tied to the sale, setting Chrysler on an irreversible path to complete the deal at the lenders' expense.

Tom Lauria, an attorney for the lenders, argued the sale planned by Chrysler and the government favors other stakeholders such as the United Auto Workers union, which would get a 55 percent stake in the "new Chrysler" when a deal is consummated and billions of dollars in cash payments later.

His clients would get about 29 cents on the dollar to dissolve what they're owed.

But four banks holding 70 percent of Chrysler's $6.9 billion in secured debt had agreed to the government's deal to wipe out the debt.

At an event in Sterling Heights, Mich., on Monday, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said critics who think the union is getting a better deal than Chrysler's secured debtholders are wrong because the UAW is taking a big risk with Chrysler equity that is currently worthless.

Gonzalez also ruled Monday that Chrysler can pay $8 billion in taxes and costs to suppliers, dealers and employees.

The Fiat deal is a key pillar of Chrysler's plan for a quick exit from court protection.

Without the sale, the government had been unwilling to offer $4.1 billion in loans to fund Chrysler's operations. Chrysler also has the use of another $400 million in cash.