In Hungary, people were outraged by Volodymyr Zelenskyi’s joke about the “Druzhba” oil pipeline.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky hinted that the continued existence of the oil pipeline “Druzhba” related to Hungary’s position. In Budapest, his words were perceived as a threat.
During the press conference, the journalist asked Zelensky whether Ukraine gained more leverage over Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban after the strikes on the “Druzhba” oil pipeline.
Zelensky responded with a humorous play on words, alluding to the pipeline through which Russian oil reaches Hungary:
“We have always supported friendship between Ukraine and Hungary, and now the existence of “Friendship” depends on the position of Hungary”.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto considered it as “threats” to the address of his country:
“Volodymyr Zelenskyy used a public holiday of Ukraine to make a crude threat to Hungary. Hungary resolutely rejects the threats of the Ukrainian president.
He also accused Kyiv of a “serious attack on the security of Hungarian energy supply”. According to him, in Budapest, such actions are considered as “attacks on sovereignty”.
“A war in which we have nothing to do is not a legitimate excuse to violate our sovereignty. We call on Volodymyr Zelenskyi to stop threatening Hungary and stop jeopardizing our energy security, Szijarto said.
In response, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha advised the Hungarian leadership to diversify its energy supply and get rid of dependence on Russia, as other European countries have done.
“I will answer in Hungarian style. There is no need to tell the Ukrainian president what and when to do or say. He is the president of Ukraine, not Hungary”, Sibyga emphasized.
He emphasized that Hungary’s energy security depends on its own government.
