Budapest Ties Sanctions to Pipeline Repairs
Hungary has announced it will block the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia until Ukraine restores oil deliveries to the country. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that no EU war loans or financial aid to Ukraine would proceed while Hungary’s oil supply remains cut off.
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó explained that the EU would continue to withhold sanctions until the Druzhba pipeline, damaged in a Russian strike, is repaired. He added that the package, scheduled for adoption at an EU foreign ministers’ meeting on Monday, would not be supported by Hungary under the current circumstances.
Energy Supplies to Ukraine at Risk
Hungary also provides nearly half of Ukraine’s electricity imports. Szijjártó warned that stopping these deliveries could affect both Hungarian citizens and ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia, urging caution in any decision to halt exports. Slovakia has made similar threats: Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine could be cut if oil shipments do not resume. Deliveries to both countries were suspended at the end of January, reportedly after a Russian drone attack on the Druzhba pipeline.
Kyiv Condemns ‘Ultimatums’
Ukraine has strongly rejected the actions, accusing Hungary and Slovakia of “playing into the hands of the aggressor.” The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called the measures “provocative and irresponsible,” noting that Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure have already left millions in darkness during a severe winter.
Orbán, who maintains close ties with the Kremlin, argues that Russian fossil fuels are essential for Hungary’s economy and claims that switching to alternative sources could trigger an immediate economic collapse — a position disputed by some experts. He has repeatedly threatened to block EU sanctions on Moscow and has vetoed attempts to provide military and financial support to Ukraine, making Hungary a key obstacle to EU measures targeting Russian energy revenues.
