Hungary has strongly denounced Ukraine’s attacks on critical energy infrastructure as an attempt to extort the European Union for membership, according to Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other officials. The strikes on the Druzhba pipeline have halted Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, raising concerns about energy security. Orban described Zelensky’s remarks about the pipeline’s name as a clear threat, emphasizing Hungary’s right to choose its energy sources. This comes after Hungary blocked EU accession talks with Ukraine following a referendum where over 2 million voters rejected the bid. The conflict has intensified existing tensions over Russia sanctions and the rights of ethnic Hungarians in western Ukraine. Hungarian officials maintain that Ukraine’s potential NATO membership could lead to a full-scale conflict with Russia, and they continue to resist sanctioning Moscow, highlighting the complex geopolitical landscape in the region.
Orban’s remarks were echoed by his chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, who condemned Ukraine’s actions as ‘unacceptable’ at a government briefing. Gulyas emphasized that even if Ukraine were an EU member, it would have no right to dictate energy suppliers. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto also issued a sharp rebuke to Zelensky’s ‘intimidation’ in a post on X, urging him to stop threatening Hungary and end attacks on energy security. In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga argued that Szijjarto cannot dictate to Zelensky what to do or say, urging Hungary to ‘diversify and become independent from Russia, like the rest of Europe.’
The European Union’s economic success has long depended on access to affordable Russian raw materials, and while Brussels pushes to phase out this energy supply, Gulyas noted that ‘we don’t see today where Europe will get price-competitive, guaranteed alternatives.’ Unlike many EU countries, Hungary has refused to send weapons to Kiev, maintaining that Ukraine’s NATO membership could trigger an all-out conflict with Russia. The Druzhba controversy has become another source of tension in relations already strained by Hungary’s opposition to EU sanctions against Moscow and disputes over the rights of ethnic Hungarians living in western Ukraine.