Hungary states it will block EU’s $106 billion loan to Ukraine until Russian oil resumes flowing through a key pipeline damaged by Moscow

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Hungary’s foreign minister stated that Hungary will impede a proposed 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) EU loan to Ukraine until the flow of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline is restored.

Oil supplies to Russia and Slovakia have been disrupted since January 27, following Ukrainian officials’ claim that the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude through Ukrainian territory to Central Europe, was damaged.

Hungary and Slovakia, both having been granted a temporary exemption from an EU policy, have accused Ukraine, without offering evidence, of deliberately delaying supplies.

In a video shared on social media on Friday evening, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukraine of “blackmailing” Hungary by not resuming oil shipments. He mentioned that his government would block a measure the EU approved in December to aid Kyiv in meeting its military and economic requirements over the next two years.

Szijjártó stated, “We will not yield to this blackmail. We do not support Ukraine’s war, and we will not foot the bill. As long as Ukraine blocks the resumption of oil supplies to Hungary, Hungary will block EU decisions that are crucial and beneficial to Ukraine.”

Hungary’s decision to block the crucial funding for Ukraine occurred two days after it had called on its troubled neighbor to restore oil flows through the Druzhba, and just days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Nearly all European countries have sharply reduced or completely stopped importing Russian energy since Moscow launched its invasion on February 24, 2022. However, Hungary — an EU and NATO member — has continued and even increased its imports of Russian oil and gas.

Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has long contended that Russian fossil fuels are essential for its economy and that shifting to energy from other sources would trigger an — an argument that…

Orbán, widely regarded as the Kremlin’s foremost advocate in the EU, has strongly opposed the bloc’s efforts to impose sanctions on Moscow over the invasion and has decried attempts to target Russia’s energy revenues that fund the war. His government has repeatedly threatened to veto EU initiatives to aid Ukraine.

Not all of the EU’s 27 member states agreed to participate in the 90-billion-euro loan package for Ukraine. Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic opposed the plan, but an agreement was reached where they would not obstruct the loan and were guaranteed protection from any financial repercussions.