Hungary will not agree to 90 billion euros for Ukraine without launching “Friendship”: Szijjarto
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that Budapest will block the provision of a €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine, as well as the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, until the transit of oil from Russia to Europe via the Druzhba oil pipeline is resumed.
According to him, Hungary’s position will remain unchanged until supplies are resumed. Szijjarto voiced this position publicly in late February, linking both EU decisions to the resumption of the pipeline.
“It’s very simple. “While we are under an oil blockade, we are not going to agree with this decision,” the Hungarian Foreign Minister said. He also stated that, in his opinion, the Ukrainian side is not resuming oil transportation for political reasons. Szijjártó added that under such circumstances, Budapest is not ready to support not only a loan for Ukraine, but also any other decisions on financial assistance, as well as a new EU sanctions package.
“While this situation persists, neither a vote for €90 billion for Ukraine, nor a vote for any other financial support for Ukraine, nor the 20th sanctions package can be discussed,” he stressed.
According to the minister, the Druzhba oil pipeline allegedly remains technically ready to resume operation, and there are no technical obstacles to this. At the same time, public reports about the dispute noted that transit was interrupted after the pipeline was damaged by a strike in January, and that a political conflict has been ongoing between Kyiv, Budapest, and Bratislava over its restoration ever since.
