Hungary is threatening to veto a planned €90 billion ($106 billion) European Union loan to Ukraine, demanding the resumption of Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared Friday. The move escalates tensions between Budapest and Kyiv and throws the EU’s financial support for Ukraine into jeopardy.
Orbán stated on Facebook, “As long as Ukraine blocks the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary will block the €90 billion Ukrainian war loan. We will not be pushed around!” His government accuses Ukraine of “blackmailing” Hungary by halting oil shipments, which were interrupted on January 27 following a reported Russian drone attack that damaged the pipeline. Hungary and Slovakia, both currently exempt from EU prohibitions on Russian oil imports, allege Ukraine deliberately disrupted supplies, though without providing evidence.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reinforced the stance, asserting on X that Ukraine’s blockage of oil transit violates the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and its commitments to the European Union. “We will not deliver in to this blackmail,” he said.
The dispute comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy maintains his country is not losing the war, despite ongoing conflict. In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Zelenskyy claimed his forces have liberated 300 square kilometers of territory in recent counterattacks, though this claim remains unverified. He similarly called for European troops to deploy to the frontline after any ceasefire.
Slovakia has echoed Hungary’s concerns, with Economy Minister Denisa Sakova stating Ukraine postponed the resumption of oil deliveries until February 24. Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico previously declared a state of emergency over supplies and threatened retaliatory measures if the pipeline is not reopened.
Beyond the oil dispute, Hungary is also considering cutting off electricity exports to Ukraine if oil transit through Druzhba is not restored, according to Orbán. He suggested such a move could create economic chaos in Ukraine and impact the upcoming elections in Hungary. Hungary currently supplies approximately 50% of Ukraine’s electricity imports.
The escalating tensions coincide with a broader European effort to bolster defense capabilities. Five European nations – Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland – announced a joint program to develop low-cost drones, driven by the lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine. The initiative aims to rapidly produce innovative systems for defense against drones.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones reportedly damaged a site in Russia’s Udmurtia region on Saturday, injuring personnel, according to the regional governor. Ukrainian sources claim the attack targeted a plant manufacturing Russian missiles. The International Paralympic Committee is also facing criticism after authorizing the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under their national flags, prompting a boycott of the opening ceremony by Ukrainian competitors.
The United Nations reported Friday that more than 5,000 women and girls have been killed and another 14,000 injured in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
