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 has 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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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán should block financial support to Russia rather than...
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has called for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, describing t...
Laurence des Cars, director of the Louvre Museum, has resigned months after a $102 million daylight heist at the museum, which prompted a parliamentar...
At least 22 people died and hundreds were displaced in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state on Tuesday (24 February) after relentless, record-breaking rainfa...
Newcastle United secured a 3–2 victory over Qarabağ FK in the return leg of the UEFA Champions League play-offs at St James’ Park.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has called for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, describing the conflict as “a stain on our collective conscience”.
Laurence des Cars, director of the Louvre Museum, has resigned months after a $102 million daylight heist at the museum, which prompted a parliamentary inquiry.
Ukraine signalled its readiness for fast-track European Union membership in Kyiv on Tuesday (24 February), as European leaders pledged continued political and financial backing and insisted Russia would gain nothing at the negotiating table.
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following earlier mediation efforts. But will the talks move Iran-U.S. negotiations closer to a deal, and what should be expected from the meeting?
The European Parliament’s trade chief has urged a temporary suspension of the EU–U.S. trade agreement approval, citing “tariff chaos” following President Donald Trump’s new 15% tariffs and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidating his previous global tariff programme.
Syria has secured a $50 million financing package from the World Bank to support transport infrastructure projects as the country advances its economic recovery efforts, Syrian media reported on Sunday.
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.
Iran has signed a secret €500 million arms deal with Russia to rebuild air defences, weakened during last year’s war with Israel, the Financial Times has reported. The agreement, signed in December in Moscow, will see Russia deliver 500 Verba launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles over three years.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is heading to Beijing on for his first official visit as chancellor, aiming to strengthen political and economic dialogue with China before tackling pressing international crises.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has called for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, describing the conflict as “a stain on our collective conscience”.
Newcastle United secured a 3–2 victory over Qarabağ FK in the return leg of the UEFA Champions League play-offs at St James’ Park.
Laurence des Cars, director of the Louvre Museum, has resigned months after a $102 million daylight heist at the museum, which prompted a parliamentary inquiry.
At least 22 people died and hundreds were displaced in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state on Tuesday (24 February) after relentless, record-breaking rainfall triggered landslides and flash floods.
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