The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, stated that he would not support any decisions within the European Union that would benefit Ukraine until, in his words, the country returns to “normal life.” The Hungarian leader wrote this in a letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, again accusing the Ukrainian authorities of political unwillingness to restore the operation of the Druzhba pipeline.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Orban’s Statements and Kyiv’s Reaction
Viktor Orban emphasized that according to satellite monitoring, there are no technical or operational reasons preventing the rapid restoration of the pipeline’s operation. He also urged the European Commission to increase pressure on Ukraine to guarantee the energy security of Hungary and Slovakia, as well as to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU.
“I expect the European Commission to increase political pressure on Ukraine so as not to undermine the energy security of Hungary and Slovakia. I also expect the European Commission to ensure compliance with the relevant provisions of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine,” Orban added, addressing the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
In response, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, noted that not all damages to the pipeline can be seen from space, as part of the damaged infrastructure is underground.
Disputes Over Sanctions and Financial Aid
Hungary and Slovakia are currently blocking the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, as well as the allocation of a multi-billion euro loan to Ukraine, which EU leaders agreed upon back in December. Both countries insist on maintaining their veto until the transportation of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline is restored.
Ukrainian officials report that the pipeline was damaged as a result of Russian shelling at the end of January; however, Hungarian and Slovak officials deny this. On February 23, the European Commission confirmed that “Russia has destroyed the Druzhba pipeline,” emphasizing that Ukraine is obliged to repair it. The timeline for completing the repairs is to be determined by the relevant Ukrainian authorities.
Since the onset of the full-scale aggression, the EU has imposed a ban on the purchase of Russian oil. At the same time, a deferral of the embargo has been established for Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, as these countries do not have access to the sea and depend on supplies through the Druzhba pipeline.
The Druzhba pipeline transports Russian oil through the territory of Ukraine to European countries, including Hungary and Slovakia. According to a report by the Finnish Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and the Bulgarian Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), from 2022 to 2024, the import of Russian crude oil to Hungary and Slovakia brought 5.4 billion euros to the Russian budget, equivalent to the cost of 1,800 Iskander-M ballistic missiles.