Hungary has threatened to obstruct the European Union’s latest wave of sanctions against Russia and impede assistance to Ukraine until Russian oil deliveries to Hungary resume. The EU’s foreign ministers are scheduled to convene in Brussels on Monday to deliberate on the EU’s 20th set of sanctions against Moscow, aimed at coinciding with the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.
In a social media video, Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Péter Szijjártó announced intentions to block the sanctions, alleging that Ukraine was deliberately hindering Russian oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline. Szijjártó emphasized that Hungary would not approve crucial decisions until Ukrainian oil deliveries to Hungary resumed.
The disruption in Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia since January 27, following reported Russian drone attacks that damaged the Druzhba pipeline, has strained relations between Budapest and Kyiv. This pipeline transports Russian crude oil through Ukrainian territory to Central Europe.
For the sanctions to be ratified, all 27 EU member states must reach a unanimous agreement. While most European countries have significantly curtailed or halted Russian energy imports since the onset of Moscow’s conflict with Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Hungary and Slovakia, both EU and NATO members, have continued and even augmented Russian energy imports, benefiting from a temporary exemption from the EU’s ban on Russian oil imports.
Szijjártó also announced Hungary’s plan to block a substantial €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine intended to support Kyiv’s military and economic requirements over the next two years. Earlier, Hungary and Slovakia declared the cessation of diesel shipments to Ukraine due to oil supply disruptions, with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico warning of cutting off emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine if oil deliveries were not restored by Monday.
Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned Hungary and Slovakia, labeling their actions as “blackmail” and asserting that both countries were aiding the aggressor, Russia. The ministry highlighted the provocativeness and risk to the region’s energy security posed by Hungary and Slovakia’s actions amidst Russian assaults on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his close ties with the Kremlin, has argued that Russian fossil fuels are vital for Hungary’s economy, warning that shifting energy sources could trigger immediate economic collapse, a viewpoint contested by some experts. Orbán has consistently opposed EU sanctions on Russia and resisted efforts to provide military and financial aid to Ukraine.
In ongoing hostilities, Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, resulting in casualties and damages. Ukrainian civilians have endured continuous aerial assaults and targeted attacks on energy infrastructure, leaving many without essential services during harsh winter conditions.
Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting numerous drones and missiles launched by Russia, with both sides incurring losses. Separately, an explosion in Lviv claimed a life, while Russian air defenses reportedly neutralized Ukrainian drones. An incident in the city of Luhansk saw a fuel tank ignited by Ukrainian drones, according to local authorities.