Ukrainian MFA responds to Hungary’s gas threats
Photo: spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Heorhii Tykhyi (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Economic consequences for Budapest
The MFA spokesperson emphasized that gas imports through the Hungarian border are currently operating normally. However, if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán decides to halt this flow, the impact will primarily hit Hungary itself.
Last year, the Hungarian side earned over a billion dollars from transit and export operations related to supplying gas to Ukraine.
"The only consequence of this would be depriving Hungary’s economy of more than a billion dollars… Orbán would simply take this money out of the pockets of the Hungarian people. But that’s his choice if he wants to do it," Tykhyi noted.
Alternative routes and energy security
Ukraine has built a diversified supply system that allows it to receive fuel from various European directions.
According to Tykhyi, the political motives of the neighboring country will not pose a critical threat to Ukraine’s energy balance.
"Unlike Hungary, Ukraine is a diversified country. Therefore, we do not depend on what the prime minister of a neighboring country might decide for political reasons as part of his election campaign," added the MFA spokesperson.
What is known about Hungary’s 'gas ultimatum'
Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the country could cut off gas supplies to Ukraine. Budapest issued an ultimatum: fuel exports would not resume until the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline is restored.
At the same time, experts note that such a blockade would not have a critical impact on Ukraine’s energy system. As Volodymyr Omelchenko, Director of Energy Programs at the Razumkov Center, explained, Hungary is not Ukraine’s main gas supplier, but only one of the transit routes, so Orbán’s actual ability to harm Kyiv in this matter is limited.
