Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has reaffirmed his opposition to EU financial aid for Ukraine, saying Budapest will maintain its block until Russian oil resumes flowing to Hungary through the Druzhba pipeline via Ukraine.
In a letter to European Council President António Costa, which Orbán also published on social media, he wrote: “Facts are facts: There are no technical obstacles to restarting the transfer via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary. It only requires a political decision by Ukraine.”
Oil deliveries from Russia to Hungary through the pipeline have been halted since late January. Ukrainian officials say the disruption was caused by damage from Russian attacks.
The Hungarian government, however, argues that the pipeline remains intact and accuses Kiev of blocking the flow for political reasons.
Orbán described the situation as absurd.
“You also certainly see the absurdity of the situation: We [the EU] take a decision financially favourable to Ukraine that I personally disapprove, then Ukraine creates an energy emergency situation in Hungary, and you ask me to pretend that nothing happened. This is not possible,” he wrote to Costa.
“I am not in a position to support any decision whatsoever favourable to Ukraine until they return to normality.”
Orbán has long maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he has sought to block EU sanctions against Moscow and financial assistance for Kiev.
This week, Hungary and Slovakia refused to approve the EU’s 20th sanctions package for Russia and a €90 billion ($105 billion) financial assistance plan for Ukraine.