BUDAPEST, March 6. /TASS/. The Hungarian government has suspended not only supplies of gasoline and diesel fuel to Ukraine but also the transit of cargoes through its territory that are important for the neighboring country. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the decision was made in response to Kiev’s blocking of Russian oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline.
TASS has compiled the key facts about the situation.
Hungary’s new countermeasures
- The Hungarian government has suspended not only supplies of gasoline and diesel fuel to Ukraine but also the transit of cargoes through its territory that are important for the neighboring country, Orban said.
- Orban stated that Ukraine is engaging in "state banditry" against Hungary and that appropriate responses must be found.
- He confirmed that Hungary will not support any European Union decision in favor of Ukraine until Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline are resumed.
- Orban recalled that Hungary had already blocked the EU from granting Ukraine a "military loan" worth 90 bln euro.
Zelensky’s threats
- Vladimir Zelensky openly threatened Orban during a meeting of the Ukrainian cabinet of ministers. A recording of the remarks was circulated by the Ukrinform news agency.
- He said that if Budapest blocks assistance to Kiev, he will give the Hungarian prime minister’s address to the Ukrainian armed forces so they can call him and speak to him "in their own language."
- Orban stated that he personally is not concerned about threats from Vladimir Zelensky, but he will not allow threats to his homeland.
- Ukraine’s actions in blocking supplies of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline and threatening Hungary constitute state banditry, he said.
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico described Zelensky’s threats against Orban as disgraceful and called on European Union leaders to distance themselves from these statements by the Kiev authorities.
- According to Fico, Zelensky is abusing the European Union’s support.
Situation around Druzhba pipeline
- Oil from Russia has not been delivered through the Druzhba pipeline since January 27.
- Hungary and Slovakia have therefore asked Croatia to allow the transit of Russian crude through the Adriatic pipeline.
- The oil is expected to be delivered by sea to the Croatian port of Omisalj.
- The Hungarian government has also decided to provide MOL with 250,000 tons of oil from state strategic reserves for its refineries.
- These reserves will be sufficient for three months.
- Ukraine did not allow a Hungarian government commission created to determine the technical condition of the Druzhba pipeline to enter the country, Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office head Gergely Gulyas previously said.
- The commission had been formed on Orban’s instructions.
- The European Union is considering allocating funding to restore the Druzhba pipeline as part of financial assistance to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, citing sources.
- According to them, the European Commission may direct funds for repairs to the pipeline from budget resources allocated to support Kiev.
- In addition, Brussels is prepared to provide expert assistance for the restoration of Druzhba.
- The European Commission has acknowledged the position of Slovakia and Hungary, which are seeking the restoration of oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, Fico told reporters.