Hungary will block 90 billion for Ukraine until Druzhba resumes operations

He made this statement in his weekly address to Hungarians on the government-controlled Kossuth radio station, according to European Pravda.

Speaking during his traditional Friday address on the Good Morning, Hungary programme, Orbán reiterated his belief that Ukraine has no technical obstacles to resuming supplies.

‘The situation is clear: the Druzhba oil pipeline has no technical problems, the basis (for its shutdown) is a political decision. The Ukrainians have decided to cut Hungary off from russian oil, which belongs to us,’ he said.

Orbán also commented on the possible provision of €90 billion in European support to Ukraine over two years, stating that Hungary is linking its veto on this decision to the suspension of Druzhba's operations. According to him, Hungary will not lift its veto, and he ruled out that this position would be revised until the oil pipeline resumes operations.

‘No one, not even the Germans, can demand a positive response from us. We will respond (in the EU vote, which Hungary is blocking. – ’EP") as our interests require. And we will never support any financial assistance that Brussels may provide to Ukraine until the Ukrainians let the oil through," he said. It is noteworthy that he also did not give any guarantee that the veto would be lifted if the oil pipeline resumed operation.

Orbán also announced his intention not to comply with the pan-European decision on the embargo on russian energy supplies: ‘We must clearly state that we will not comply with Ukraine's demand to abandon cheap russian energy.’

Source: European Pravda