Hungary has said it will block the European Union’s latest sanctions package against Russia unless oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline are restored, deepening a dispute with Brussels and Kyiv over energy security.
Writing on the social media platform X, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary would prioritise its fuel security and take countermeasures if Russian oil deliveries are not restored.
Orbán warned that Budapest would not remain passive while the Druzhba pipeline remains disrupted. He said Hungary would act to protect its energy supply until shipments resume.
He outlined several measures Hungary would enforce if the situation continues. These include stopping diesel exports from Hungary to Ukraine, rejecting any proposal to provide military loans to Kyiv, and withholding support for further EU sanctions against Russia, including the bloc’s 20th sanctions package.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also said that Budapest will veto the proposed sanctions package, accusing Ukraine of deliberately restricting Russian oil transit through the pipeline system. He added: “Until Ukraine resumes oil transit to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, we will not allow decisions important to Kyiv to move forward.”
EU foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Brussels to discuss the latest sanctions package. The bloc hopes to approve the measures ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Sanctions require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states, giving Hungary the ability to block the package.
The dispute centres on the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude oil across Ukrainian territory to several Central and Eastern European countries, including Hungary and Slovakia.
Oil deliveries through the pipeline were disrupted on 27 January following reported damage, which Ukrainian officials have attributed to Russian drone strikes. The exact cause of the interruption remains contested.
In response to the disruption, Hungary and Slovakia suspended diesel exports to Ukraine. Both countries argue that the move is a direct response to the interruption of Russian oil transit.
Earlier this week Hungary blocked a proposed $106 billion (€90 billion) EU loan package intended to support Ukraine’s military and economic needs, linking the decision to the ongoing interruption.
Energy policy has become a major point of tension within the EU. While most EU member states have reduced or ended reliance on Russian fossil fuel imports since 2022, Hungary has continued to maintain partial dependence on Russian energy supplies under temporary exemption arrangements.
Orbán has argued that a rapid transition away from Russian energy would threaten Hungary’s economic stability. Critics, however, say the policy weakens the EU’s collective pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
The dispute highlights growing political divisions inside the EU over sanctions strategy, energy security and the economic consequences of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
A tanker reported being struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Britain's maritime security agency said, after the United States a...
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei has accused World Cup co-host the United States of treating his team "very unfairly", saying logistical restrictions ha...
At least three paramilitary troops and three suspected militants were killed after heavily armed attackers stormed a Rangers security compound in Paki...
"I will be president for only a couple of weeks, and then I will resign," Vucic told supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade....
The death toll in the twin earthquakes which rocked Venezuela earlier this week has risen to 1,430, top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Saturday. Ano...
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei has accused World Cup co-host the United States of treating his team "very unfairly", saying logistical restrictions have disrupted the team's tournament.
At least three paramilitary troops and three suspected militants were killed after heavily armed attackers stormed a Rangers security compound in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, authorities said.
"I will be president for only a couple of weeks, and then I will resign," Vucic told supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade.
France said on Saturday it was considering taking reciprocal measures after Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations.
France said on Saturday it was considering taking reciprocal measures after Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations.
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
Japan remained on high alert Saturday as Typhoon Mekkhala approached the eastern coast after Typhoon Higos weakened into a tropical depression. Authorities warned of continued heavy rain, flooding, and landslides, according to media reports.
A tanker reported being struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Britain's maritime security agency said, after the United States and Iran each launched strikes in the worst escalation since they signed their interim peace deal.
ANEWZ can exclusively report that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Azerbaijan on 1 July.
At least three paramilitary troops and three suspected militants were killed after heavily armed attackers stormed a Rangers security compound in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, authorities said.
"I will be president for only a couple of weeks, and then I will resign," Vucic told supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade.
The death toll in the twin earthquakes which rocked Venezuela earlier this week has risen to 1,430, top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Saturday. Another 3,200 people were injured and 3,100 left homeless by the disaster, he added on state television.
Australia said it would double the maximum penalty it can impose on tech firms found to have failed to uphold a groundbreaking social media ban for children, as evidence mounts that the ban has had little effect on teen use.
France said on Saturday it was considering taking reciprocal measures after Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment