No oil, no money: Orbán remains firm on Druzhba pipeline despite EU statement
Photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Getty Images)
"If there is no oil, there is no money. I said that Hungary’s position remains unchanged," Orbán emphasized.
He also accused Ukraine of refusing to allow Hungarian experts to inspect the condition of the pipeline.
"They do not agree and even openly state that they have no intention of sending cheap Russian oil to Hungary," the prime minister said.
Orbán added that he views the situation around the Druzhba pipeline as an attempt to influence Hungary’s domestic politics.
"So the situation is extremely simple. If there is no oil, there is no money," he concluded.
EU changes statement on Druzhba
At the same time, the EU has adjusted its official position regarding the pipeline, reports Ukrainska Pravda. In the statement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, the reference linking the resumption of Druzhba operations to financial support for Ukraine and the new sanctions package against Russia was removed.
The original version of the document stated that restoring oil supplies was a necessary condition for resuming discussions on a €90 billion loan to Ukraine and adopting the 20th sanctions package.
However, in the revised version, this point is absent. At the same time, the EU expressed readiness to provide technical support and funding for pipeline repairs, and Ukraine agreed to this proposal.
The updated statement was published on the European Commission’s website.
The situation around the Druzhba pipeline escalated after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán demanded that Ukraine resume oil transit, effectively issuing an ultimatum with a three-day deadline.
In response, the European Commission stated its willingness to help repair the damaged section of the pipeline. Experts, however, view Budapest’s actions as political pressure, using energy as a leverage tool.
Additionally, a Hungarian delegation led by State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy Gábor Czepek arrived in Kyiv, but Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that its representatives did not have official status.
