Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he will block European financial assistance to Ukraine until Kyiv restores operations of the Druzhba oil pipeline delivering Russian crude to his country.
Speaking on Hungary’s Kossuth Radio, Orban said the shutdown of the Druzhba pipeline was not due to technical problems but allegedly based on a “political decision” by Kyiv.
He also stopped short of guaranteeing he would lift his veto on aid to Ukraine even if oil flows resume.
“We will not comply with Ukraine’s demand to give up cheap Russian energy,” Orban added.
He said Hungary will not implement the European Union’s decision to impose an embargo on Russian energy supplies.
Hungary is ready to use “all means” to protect its interests, the prime minister said.
“We have stopped supplying gasoline to Ukraine, we are also not supplying diesel fuel, but we continue to supply electricity, and we will also halt the transit through Hungary of goods important to Ukraine until we receive Ukraine’s permission for oil deliveries,” Orban said.
Zelensky: Druzhba repairs could take up to six weeks
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it could take several more weeks before the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, is back online.
He also indicated he would personally prefer not to restore the pipeline.
Despite the damage, oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia are not currently under threat.
According to the European Commission, both countries have oil reserves for roughly three months.
Alternative deliveries via the Adriatic pipeline used by Croatia are possible but cost more than Russian oil.
The war with Iran is further fueling the rise in oil prices.
The day before, Hungary’s prime minister threatened to forcibly resume deliveries of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.
He also accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of threatening him over remarks made at a government meeting in Kyiv.
Zelensky had expressed hope that “one person in the European Union will not block 90 billion euros and Ukrainian fighters will get weapons.”
“Otherwise, we will give our guys this person’s address so they can call him and talk to him in their own language,” he said.
Zelensky’s statement drew criticism not only from Hungary’s authorities but also from opposition politician Péter Magyar, Orban’s main challenger in the upcoming elections.
“No foreign head of state can threaten any Hungarian—neither Orban’s outgoing government, nor the future government of Tisza, nor any Hungarian,” Magyar said.
On March 5, Hungarian security forces detained two armored cash-in-transit vehicles and seven employees of state-owned Oschadbank who were transporting money and valuables between Austria and Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry called it “hostage-taking and state terrorism.”
Hungary’s tax authority said the detainees are accused of money laundering.
The agency specifically noted that one of the seven Oschadbank employees is a former senior officer of the Ukrainian security services, according to Hungarian outlet Index.
