MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The leaders discussed current issues of Russian-Hungarian cooperation, in particular the situation with Hungarians conscripted into the Ukrainian armed forces and those captured by Russia, as well as the impact of the escalation in the Middle East on the global energy market, the Kremlin press service reported.
Earlier Orban called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to press Vladimir Zelensky to resume transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.
TASS has compiled the main details on latest developments concerning Hungary
Hungarians in Ukrainian armed forces
Putin and Orban discussed the situation with Hungarian citizens who were mobilized into the Ukrainian armed forces and captured by Russia.
In a conversation with Orban, Putin emphasized Hungary's sovereign course and principled position in support of a diplomatic resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Earlier Orban condemned those responsible for forced mobilization in Ukraine. He stated that using Hungarians as "cannon fodder" is unacceptable.
The Hungarian government also imposed sanctions against three high-ranking Ukrainian military officials directly involved in organizing forced conscription and urged the EU leadership to also add them to the pan-European sanctions list.
Orban explained that this decision was made in response to the recent death of a second Hungarian from Transcarpathia as a result of violent actions by Ukrainian security forces, who forcibly took him away to be sent to the front.
Hungary's appeal to European Commission
Orban appealed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to compel Vladimir Zelensky to resume transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.
The Hungarian Prime Minister sent a letter to Brussels in which he also stated that Ukraine is obligated to comply with its agreements with the EU and not pose a threat to the energy security of EU countries.
Earlier, Orban proposed that the European Commission (EC) send a team of experts to Ukraine to inspect the status of the Druzhba pipeline.
He said that Ukraine is committing a crime by blocking the Druzhba pipeline amid the escalation in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported, citing sources, that some pro-Ukrainian governments in the EU and the EC are asking Ukraine to provide access to the Druzhba pipeline to assess the damage and ensure that Kiev is working to repair it. According to the sources, von der Leyen and European Council President Antanio Costa had addressed the Ukrainian leadership with the same request during their visit to Kiev on February 24, but were ignored.
Ukraine's position on Druzhba pipeline
Ukraine continues its oil blockade of Hungary to undermine the current government and help the opposition win the parliamentary elections on April 12, Orban said. He called Zelensky's response "simply cynical." According to him, Zelensky allegedly stated that Hungary and Slovakia should be grateful to Ukraine for the fact that oil transit had taken place at all in recent years.
Orban also reported that Zelensky told him he had no intention of opening the pipeline. Zsolt Hernadi, CEO of Hungarian oil and gas company MOL, said that UkrTransNafta, which provides oil transit through Ukrainian territory, was ready to resume deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline but was unable to do so because it did not receive permission from Kiev.
On situation around Druzhba pipeline
Russian oil has not been flowing to Hungary since January 27.Earlier TASS sources in the oil industry also reported that the Ukrainian side had already eliminated the emergency situation related to the pipeline in early February, but permission to resume its operation has not been received.As the head of MOL pointed out, "it would be fair" to state that "the pipeline itself was not affected."
Budapest has already stated that the pipeline has been restored and that Kiev is blocking it for political reasons. In response, Hungary took retaliatory measures by ceasing to supply Ukraine with diesel fuel and refusing to allow the EU to provide it with a €90 billion "military loan."Budapest warned that it would oppose any decisions by Brussels favoring Kiev.
The Hungarian government also considered the possibility of cutting off electricity supplies to Ukraine in response to the blocking of oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline, Orban said.