Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, has warned Ukraine of potentially cutting off power supplies, citing Ukrainian attacks on a Russian oil pipeline that threaten Hungary’s energy security. The dispute follows recent attacks on the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies oil to Hungary and other EU nations, and highlights worsening tensions between Budapest and Kyiv. Szijjarto accused Ukraine of undermining Hungary’s interests by attacking the pipeline, which has led to repeated oil supply disruptions. He also warned that Ukraine’s electricity heavily relies on Hungary, implying potential retaliatory measures.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga responded by accusing Hungary of maintaining reliance on Russia despite warnings about Moscow’s unreliability. The attack on the Drujhba pipeline, a key energy route, has drawn criticism from Russian officials, who argue that the current Ukrainian leadership poses a threat to neighboring nations. The Druzhba pipeline is one of the world’s longest, transporting crude oil over 4,000 km from Russia and Kazakhstan to the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. The recent attacks on the pipeline have raised concerns about the stability of this critical energy infrastructure and could have broader implications for the European energy market.