Hungary to block EUR 90B aid, new EU sanctions until Druzhba pipeline operates – Szijjarto

Hungary will block EUR 90 billion in financial aid to Ukraine and the 20th EU sanctions package until the issue of oil transportation through the Druzhba oil pipeline is resolved.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told this to journalists ahead of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday, Ukrinform reports.

"As long as the Ukrainians […] do not restore transportation, there can be no discussion of voting on the EUR 90 billion loan, any other financial support for Ukraine, or the 20th sanctions package. EU member states can forget about that," Szijjarto said.

He believes that the Druzhba pipeline is physically and technically ready for resuming transportation, calling the halt in supply "a political decision."

"The Ukrainian system operator said that within a month the situation with Druzhba could be improved, which would be a week after the Hungarian elections," he added.

According to him, the Ukrainian side rejected a trilateral meeting with him and the Slovakian energy minister.

Szijjarto also noted that Hungary's oil reserves are sufficient for 86 days.

Earlier, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys stated that the Hungarian government was manipulating and exploiting its veto rights at the EU level, which constitutes an unacceptable abuse of European tools to achieve domestic political goals.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas stressed that Hungary must comply with decisions already approved by its leader in December of last year and must not block the EUR 90 billion loan for Ukraine.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote an open letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, urging the immediate reopening of the Druzhba pipeline.

The European Commission proposed sending a mission to Ukraine to assess the damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline caused by a Russian strike on January 27.