Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has pushed back against European Council President António Costa’s accusations of ‘disrespecting’ the Council’s decision on the €90 billion military loan to Ukraine in a letter sent on Tuesday.
In his response, Orbán highlighted what he described as the ‘absurdity’ of the situation: ‘we take a decision financially favourable to Ukraine that I personally disapprove of, then Ukraine creates an energy emergency situation in Hungary, and you ask me to pretend that nothing happened,’ he wrote, referring to Kyiv’s halt of oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline since 27 January, which threatens the energy security of both Hungary and Slovakia.
‘I am not in a position to support any decision whatsoever favourable to Ukraine until they return to normality,’ Orbán stressed, adding that ‘this is not possible’.
The prime minister announced on Friday that Hungary will block the €90 billion loan—agreed by EU leaders in December 2025, with Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary opting out—until Ukraine resumes transit on Druzhba. The move follows coordinated steps by Budapest and Bratislava, including halting diesel exports to Kyiv. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also warned that Slovakia would cut electricity exports to Ukraine if transit is not restored, while Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó blocked the 20th sanctions package at Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council.
Costa had earlier warned that Hungary should not ‘disrespect’ the Council’s decision, speaking on Monday while travelling to Kyiv to mark the fourth anniversary of the outbreak of the full-scale war.
Arriving at the General Affairs Council, Hungarian Minister of EU Affairs János Bóka said Druzhba remains technically operational, but Kyiv ‘keeps it shut for political reasons’ ahead of Hungary’s April parliamentary election, arguing that the move violates the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement.
Political director of the Hungarian prime minister Balázs Orbán reinforced the government’s position, stating that ‘no matter how much pressure’ Kyiv exerts, Hungary will not resume diesel supplies, will not support the war loan, and will not back another sanctions package. ‘We will not play along with an oil blockade directed against our own country,’ he concluded.
Related articles:
