Budapest Holds Sanctions Hostage
Hungary has announced it will block the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia until Ukraine restores oil deliveries to the country. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the EU will also withhold the previously approved €90 billion war loan to Ukraine until energy shipments resume. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó confirmed that Hungary would not back the sanctions package, which is set for discussion at a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday, citing the need for the Druzhba pipeline to be repaired after a Russian strike.
Energy Supplies and Regional Impact
The Energy Security Council highlighted that almost half of Ukraine’s electricity imports come from Hungary. Szijjártó emphasized the potential risks to Hungarian citizens and ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia if energy deliveries were interrupted. Slovakia has issued a similar warning: Prime Minister Robert Fico said emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine could be halted if oil deliveries do not resume. Both Hungary and Slovakia stopped receiving oil from the Druzhba pipeline at the end of January following Russian attacks.
Kyiv Condemns Threats as Provocative
Ukraine has denounced the actions of Hungary and Slovakia as “ultimatums and blackmail,” accusing the countries of aiding Russian aggression. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry described the threats as “provocative, irresponsible, and threatening the energy security of the entire region,” noting the ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s power grid during one of the coldest winters on record.
Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his close ties to Moscow, insists Russian fossil fuels are essential for Hungary’s economy and warns that switching energy sources could trigger economic collapse — a claim disputed by some experts. Orbán has repeatedly threatened to block EU sanctions on Russia and has vetoed EU efforts to provide Ukraine with military and financial aid, positioning Hungary as a key obstacle to the bloc’s anti-Russian measures.
