Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban has threatened to block the EU’s planned €90 billion loan deal unless the flow of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline resumes.
In a post on February 20, Prime Minister Orbán stated that the Brussels-Kiev-Tisza Pact aims to support the rise of a Ukraine-friendly government in the April elections.
“As long as Ukraine blocks the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary will block the €90 billion Ukrainian war loan,” Orbán said.
On his part, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Kyiv, Brussels, and opposition forces of deliberately disrupting energy flows for political reasons.
He stated that Hungary is blocking the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine until oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline resumes.
According to Szijjártó, Ukraine is using the halt in oil transit, in coordination with Brussels and the Hungarian opposition, to create supply disruptions in Hungary and drive fuel prices higher ahead of the April 12 elections.
“Ukraine is blackmailing Hungary by halting oil transit in coordination with Brussels and the Hungarian opposition to create supply disruptions in Hungary and push fuel prices higher before the elections,” he said.
He added that by blocking oil transit to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline, Ukraine violated the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and breached its commitments to the European Union.
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EU Wants Ukraine to Repair Druzhba pipeline
The European Commission said it would welcome the resumption of operations on the Druzhba oil pipeline by Ukraine.
EU Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said on February 20 that the disruption of the Druzhba pipeline has strained Ukraine’s relations with Hungary and Slovakia.
The European Commission expressed support for the pipeline’s reactivation, noting that the Ukrainian government has committed to repairing it.
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However, the Commission stated that the decision on whether and when to repair the pipeline rests solely with Kyiv, given ongoing security risks from Russian attacks.
Tensions escalated after Hungary and Slovakia accused Kyiv of withholding transit for political reasons and, on February 18, announced a halt to Diesel exports to Ukraine.
Budapest and Bratislava have explored alternative routes, requesting that Croatia facilitate deliveries via the Adriatic pipeline.
However, Croatian Economy Minister Ante Susnjar said Zagreb refused to transport Russian oil.
The Druzhba pipeline, one of the world’s largest oil networks with a capacity of about two million barrels per day, remains a vital supply route for Hungary and Slovakia, the only EU countries still importing Russian crude through the system.
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