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Szijjarto accuses Zelensky of blocking oil supplies to Hungary via Druzhba pipeline

According to the Hungarian foreign minister, "Zelensky apparently believes he can put the current government in a difficult position during the upcoming parliamentary elections by disrupting the country’s energy supply"

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto Sergey Karpukhin/TASS

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto

© Sergey Karpukhin/TASS

BUDAPEST, February 13. /TASS/. Ukraine has halted oil supplies to Hungary from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline in order to create difficulties for the Hungarian government ahead of parliamentary elections, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated in connection with reports in Hungarian media about the disruption of crude transportation through the oil pipeline running across Ukrainian territory.

"This time they want to jeopardize Hungary’s energy security," the foreign minister said in a video address broadcast by television channel M1. According to Szijjarto, "Zelensky has made a political decision to block the resumption of oil supplies to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline, even though the pipeline is technically fully prepared for the resumption of supplies and no technical or technological reasons prevent the restart."

"Zelensky apparently believes he can put the current government in a difficult position during the upcoming parliamentary elections by disrupting the country’s energy supply," Szijjarto added. He noted that, in doing so, the Ukrainian authorities are effectively trying to support the Hungarian opposition party "Tisza," which is competing with the ruling "Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Union" party.

The minister described such actions by Kiev as gross interference in the elections and assured that even if Ukraine does not allow the resumption of oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary, the government will guarantee the security of energy supply for all consumers.

Parliamentary elections in Hungary, which will result in the formation of a new government, are scheduled for April 12.

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Ukraine Hungary

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