MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. Hungary will not compromise with Ukraine and will use force to make Kiev resume oil transit from Russia through the Druzhba pipeline, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced. In turn, Vladimir Zelensky openly threatened Orban while speaking at a meeting of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers. A recording of his statement was distributed by the Ukrinform news agency.

TASS has compiled the key information on the situation with the Druzhba oil pipeline.

Hungarian commission to inspect pipeline

Ukraine has denied entry to the Hungarian government commission established to determine the technical condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, announced Gergely Gulyas, Head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office.

The commission was formed by the order of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

The commission is headed by State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Gabor Czepek and also includes employees of the oil and gas company MOL, which uses Russian crude oil at its refineries in Hungary and Slovakia.

Pipeline shutdown

Hungary believes Zelensky is blackmailing Budapest by blocking oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline. On Wednesday, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico showed journalists satellite images showing the Druzhba pipeline was undamaged.

Zelensky made it clear that Ukraine will restore the Druzhba pipeline within 1.5 months provided that the EU unblocks the €90 billion loan. His statement at a meeting with the government was broadcast on the Ukrinform news agency website.

He also noted that he does not intend to allow an independent commission to assess the condition of the Druzhba pipeline.

Zelensky stated that he does not believe that European Commission representatives distrust Ukraine's reports of pipeline destruction.

Several EU countries pressured Ukraine to grant inspectors access to inspect the Druzhba pipeline, but Kiev refused, Politico reported.

Countermeasures

Hungary will not compromise with Ukraine and will use force to force it to resume oil transit from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline, Orban stated.

He explained that he was referring "not to military force, but to political and financial instruments" with which to exert pressure on Ukraine.

Budapest will seek the lifting of the oil blockade and, until this happens, will not approve any decision from Brussels in favor of Kiev, Gulyas noted.

Earlier Hungary took retaliatory measures by stopping diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine and refusing to allow the EU to grant it a €90 billion military loan.

Hungary has also strengthened the security of dozens of critical energy facilities due to the possibility of sabotage and attacks from Ukraine, Orban said.

Zelensky's threats to Orban

During a meeting of the Ukrainian Cabinet, Vladimir Zelensky openly threatened Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The corresponding recording was distributed by the Ukrinform news agency.

Zelensky stated that if Hungary blocks aid to Ukraine, he will hand over the address of the Hungarian Prime Minister to the Ukrainian troops so they can call him and speak with him "in their soldier’s tongue."

EU response

The European Union (EU) is considering allocating funding for the restoration of the Druzhba pipeline as part of its financial assistance to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, citing sources.

According to these sources, the European Commission may use budget funds allocated to support Kiev for the pipeline's repairs.

Furthermore, Brussels is ready to provide expert assistance for the restoration of the Druzhba pipeline.

The European Commission has recognized the validity of Slovakia and Hungary's efforts to have Ukraine restore oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico told reporters.

On situation with the pipeline

Russian oil has not been flowing through the Druzhba pipeline since January 27.

Earlier TASS sources in the oil industry also reported that the Ukrainian side had already resolved the emergency situation related to the pipeline in the first half of February, but permission to resume its operation has not been granted.

The Hungarian government stated that the pipeline had been restored and that Kiev was blocking it for political reasons.

The day before, Orban announced that a commission created by the Hungarian government would determine the state of the Druzhba pipeline.

In response to Zelensky's statements about blocking Russian energy supplies from entering Europe, Budapest noted that "all energy facilities that used Russian energy supplies could become targets for Ukrainian sabotage.".