Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán should block financial support to Russia rather than Ukraine, as Budapest opposes the European Union’s 20th sanctions package against Moscow.
Hungary warned it will block the EU’s latest sanctions package against Russia unless oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline are restored. The pipeline, a key supply route for Hungary and Slovakia, was disrupted by strikes Ukraine attributes to Russia on 27 January. Budapest has also linked its opposition to a proposed $106 billion (€90 billion) EU loan supporting Ukraine’s military and economy.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Hungary’s stance, pointing to Russia as the cause of the disruption.
“First of all, the pipeline was destroyed by Russia. If Orbán wants to block financial support, he can do it for Russia, not for Ukraine. We are not responsible for the destruction of this pipeline,” he told journalists on Tuesday, according to RBC-Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president added that satellite images confirm the Druzhba pipeline was disrupted by a Russian strike. He noted that this was not the first attack on the pipeline and is unlikely to be the last. Zelenskyy suggested that Orbán speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a potential energy ceasefire.
European Council President Antonio Costa responded by saying that the planned EU loan to Ukraine and the suspension of the Druzhba pipeline are separate issues. He added that Ukraine will assess how long it will take to restore the pipeline and highlighted alternative routes for supplying oil to Hungary and Slovakia through the Adriatic pipeline.
The Druzhba pipeline, also called the Friendship Pipeline, is one of the longest oil pipelines in the world. It has been in operation since 1964 and transports Russian oil to several Central and Eastern European countries.
Ukraine confirmed that oil shipments were disrupted following an attack on 27 January. Some Hungarian and Slovak politicians have suggested that Kyiv may be delaying the pipeline’s restart to gain political leverage over Russia.
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The other evening, I was fuelling my car at a petrol station in Kenya’s capital. It was one of those small moments most motorists barely notice. The attendant filled the tank, I glanced at the pump price, paid, and drove off.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 15 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials launched a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to resolve issues in their trade truce. The discussions aim to smooth the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March.
Senior officials from the United States and China met in Paris this week for a new round of trade talks, as the world’s two largest economies attempt to manage their economic rivalry and avoid further tensions.
Court documents released on Monday (16 March) revealed that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has asked a U.S. judge to dismiss President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation suit over a 2024 documentary, arguing his re-election proves the edited 2021 speech did not harm his reputation.
Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Friday (13 March), according to Poland’s Operational Command.
Russia has imposed a fine of 35 million roubles (around $432,366) on the messaging platform Telegram for failing to remove content deemed illegal by the authorities, according to the Interfax news agency.
Madagascar's president, Michael Randrianirina announced the appointment of anti-corruption chief Mamitiana Rajaonarison as prime minister, six days after dismissing the previous premier along with the entire cabinet.
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