Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday, 2 March, that Ukraine has no intention of restarting the Druzhba pipeline, adding that Hungary and Slovakia should express gratitude towards Kyiv rather than accuse it of energy blackmail.
Speaking at a press event, Zelenskyy declared that ‘nobody has the desire to’ resume transit of Russian oil through Druzhba, a key route for Hungarian and Slovak energy supplies, which has been halted since 27 January.
After repeatedly calling for transit to resume—arguing that there are no technical obstacles preventing it—Hungary and Slovakia introduced several countermeasures to pressure Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that he would block the EUR 90 billion military loan to Kyiv until supplies are restored, while both countries halted diesel exports to Ukraine. Budapest also blocked the 20th sanctions package against Russia, and Slovakia suspended electricity exports to Kyiv.
Just yesterday, the Hungarian government presented satellite imagery confirming its claim that the pipeline remains operational and once again called on Zelenskyy to resume transit.
Continuing his remarks, Zelenskyy claimed that Hungary and Slovakia should be grateful to Ukraine instead of levelling accusations. ‘Has anyone heard from Orbán or Fico, “We are very grateful to Ukraine,”?’ Zelenskyy asked, adding that this had never happened and that the two prime ministers instead constantly claim that Kyiv owes them.
Responding to Zelenskyy’s statements, Orbán described them as an ‘unacceptable response’, adding that he had ‘called on the President of the European Commission to enforce the agreements that oblige Ukraine to allow transit of oil’ through Druzhba. ‘As long as President Zelenskyy does not return to common sense and normality, we will not support a single decision that is favourable to Ukraine,’ Orbán concluded.
Doubling down in response to Zelenskyy’s remarks, political director of the Hungarian prime minister Balázs Orbán pointed out that Zelenskyy had made it clear that there is no political will on Ukraine’s part to restart the pipeline. He argued that Hungary has nothing to be grateful for, as Ukraine is ‘cutting off crude oil that is vital to the Hungarian economy and Hungarian households.’
‘Oil is not a political issue; it is about protecting Hungarian families’ utility costs and preserving the competitiveness of the economy,’ Balázs Orbán underlined. Citing the escalation in the Middle East, which is heavily impacting European energy prices, he said that the Hungarian government’s objective is to ‘stabilize fuel prices and preserve the utility price reduction scheme.’
‘If there is a real political scandal in Hungary today, it is that the leader of the Hungarian opposition, Péter Magyar, is supporting restrictions on energy supplies along external—namely Ukrainian—interests,’ Orbán added, stressing that Hungary ‘will break the Ukrainian oil blockade.’
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