Hungary has threatened to obstruct the latest round of European Union sanctions against Russia and to delay aid to Ukraine until Russian oil deliveries to Hungary resume. The EU foreign ministers are scheduled to convene in Brussels on Monday to discuss the 20th round of sanctions against Moscow, aiming for approval coinciding with the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.
In a social media video posted on Sunday, Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Péter Szijjártó announced the intention to block the sanctions, alleging that Ukraine deliberately halted Russian oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline. Szijjártó emphasized that Hungary would not support the sanctions until Ukraine resumes oil deliveries to Hungary, citing the importance of such decisions to Ukraine.
Since January 27, Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia have been disrupted following Ukrainian reports of Russian drone attacks damaging the Druzhba pipeline, sparking tensions between Budapest and Kyiv. The pipeline transports Russian crude oil through Ukrainian territory to Central Europe.
The approval of the sanctions requires unanimous consensus among the 27 EU member states. While most European countries have significantly reduced or halted Russian energy imports since the onset of the conflict, Hungary and Slovakia, both EU and NATO members, have continued and even increased their imports of Russian oil and gas, receiving a temporary exemption from the EU’s ban on Russian oil imports.
Additionally, Szijjártó declared that Hungary would impede a substantial €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine aimed at supporting Kyiv’s military and economic requirements for the next two years. This move follows Hungary and Slovakia’s decisions to cease diesel deliveries to Ukraine over the oil supply disruption, with Slovakia threatening to cut off emergency electricity supplies if the oil deliveries are not restored promptly.
Responding to these actions, Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned what they termed as “ultimatums and blackmail” by Hungary and Slovakia, accusing the countries of aiding the aggressor. The ministry highlighted the impact of Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, posing threats to regional energy security.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his close ties with the Kremlin, has consistently argued in favor of Russian fossil fuels, claiming that a shift to alternative energy sources would lead to economic collapse. Orbán has opposed EU sanctions on Russia and blocked efforts to provide military and financial assistance to Ukraine.
In a separate development, Russia carried out missile and drone attacks in the Kyiv region, resulting in casualties and damage to infrastructure. Ukrainian authorities reported ongoing aerial assaults, with Russia intensifying its attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid, leaving civilians without essential services during severe winter conditions.
Ukraine’s air force reported a significant number of drones and missiles used in the overnight assault by Russia, with multiple intercepts. Meanwhile, an explosion in Lviv unrelated to the aerial attacks claimed one life and injured several individuals. Russian air defense forces also claimed to have destroyed numerous Ukrainian drones, with incidents of drone strikes reported in the city of Luhansk.
