Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called on the European Commission to defend the energy security of Hungary and Slovakia, accusing Ukraine of deliberately paralysing the Druzhba oil pipeline in order to blackmail the two EU member states into supporting Kyiv’s war efforts.
The remarks were made during a joint press conference with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó in Washington, DC, on 19 February, following the inauguration meeting of the Board of Peace. Orbán argued that there is ‘no technical obstacle’ preventing the resumption of oil transit through the key pipeline, which has been halted by Kyiv since 27 January. Hungary, in coordination with Slovakia, has halted its diesel exports to Ukraine until transit through the pipeline is restored.
Orbán stressed that under the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement, Ukrainian actions must not endanger the energy security of EU member states. ‘Right now, they are doing exactly that,’ he said, adding that Hungary, as the contracting party whose interests are being violated, is represented by Brussels under the agreement. He argued that the European Commission must summon Ukrainian representatives and make clear that a breach of contract has occurred.
However, this will not happen. According to European Commission spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, Brussels ‘won’t exert any kind of pressure on Ukraine to repair the pipeline’. ‘This says everything about Brussels–Kyiv alignment and double standards against Hungary’s patriotic government,’ Political Director of the Hungarian prime minister Balázs Orbán wrote in a post on X on Friday.
During the press conference, Orbán pointed to an alternative arrangement with Croatia, under which Hungary could request oil deliveries through the Adria pipeline if Druzhba remains blocked. ‘The Croatians are obliged to transport oil of any origin to Hungary, even if it is Russian,’ Orbán said, noting that Zagreb has shown reluctance but expressing hope that all parties would comply with their legal obligations.
‘Those who blew up Nord Stream are the ones who shut down Druzhba: the Ukrainians,’ Orbán declared. According to him, both incidents serve the same strategic objective: maintaining a monopoly over energy transit routes through Ukraine. He labelled the destruction of Nord Stream ‘state terrorism’ and questioned why Germany had ‘swallowed’ the incident without a stronger reaction.
The Hungarian leader characterized recent Ukrainian actions as ‘openly hostile’, including what he described as attempts to drag Hungary into financial and military commitments related to the war.
Orbán also accused Kyiv of interfering in Hungarian domestic politics ahead of the upcoming April parliamentary elections. ‘Ukraine has openly intervened in Hungarian elections and will continue to do so in the coming days,’ he claimed. According to Orbán, Kyiv’s objective is to help install a ‘Ukrainian-friendly government’ in Budapest that would support Ukraine’s EU accession and provide financial and military assistance.
Orbán said the government has already taken steps to avert an energy emergency, ensuring fuel supplies and stable prices through at least May. While he did not outline further retaliatory measures before the election, he noted that ‘a significant portion’ of Ukraine’s electricity supply transits through Hungary, signalling potential leverage.
Turning to the broader geopolitical context, Orbán highlighted the Board of Peace initiative, which currently focuses on Gaza but may expand to other conflict zones. He described the body as a response to the ineffectiveness of traditional international institutions. ‘There are countless committees and plenary sessions, but the number of wars keeps increasing,’ he said. The Board of Peace, he explained, is designed as a coalition of states willing to make concrete contributions to crisis resolution rather than merely hold conferences.
On the war in Ukraine, Orbán reiterated his long-standing position that Europe is moving in the direction of prolonging the conflict. ‘European leaders have decided that Russia must be defeated on Ukrainian territory, and they say this openly. That points towards war, not peace,’ he said.
He argued that Europe risks being sidelined if it does not engage directly with Moscow. ‘If Europeans do not want to be excluded from shaping the post-war security architecture, they cannot leave this solely to the Russians and the Americans,’ he said, calling for a leading European leader to ‘break the ice’ and initiate direct talks with the Russian president.
‘Hungary is interested in a swift peace,’ Orbán concluded. ‘We have a sovereign government, and we do not need any crutches from Brussels. In dangerous times, security depends on relationships and experience—and we have more of both.’
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