Zelenskyy proposes that Orbán negotiate energy ceasefire with Putin
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Getty Images)
The reason for the halt of oil supplies to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline is a Russian attack. If Budapest wants the deliveries to continue, it should negotiate an energy truce with Moscow, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press briefing.
"First of all, the pipeline was destroyed by Russia. So if Orbán wants to block financial support, he can do it for Russia, not for Ukraine. We are not the reason for destroying this pipeline," stated the Ukrainian President, commenting on Hungary's veto on the EU loan to Ukraine.
He added that this is not the first damage to the Druzhba pipeline, and most likely, it will not be the last. At the same time, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine has satellite images confirming the Russian strike on the pipeline.
"It's up to Orbán to speak with Putin, maybe an energy ceasefire or something like this," the President added.
Zelenskyy proposes that Orbán negotiate energy ceasefire with Putin pic.twitter.com/qjr4QsCaAQ
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) February 24, 2026
Separately, the head of the Ukrainian state pointed out that once during the restoration of the Druzhba pipeline, Russia carried out a second strike on the repair crews.
"You know how Russia uses these attacks on our critical civil infrastructure when they destroy any kind of station, energy system, including such a pipeline. Our renovation brigade comes to renovate, and then they again attack just to kill people. And that's why people have been wounded," Zelenskyy said.
He added that human life is too high a price to pay for repairing a pipeline.
Violation of EU rules
Meanwhile, European Council President António Costa noted that the loan to Ukraine and the halt of the Druzhba pipeline are not connected in any way.
According to him, in the coming days, Ukraine will assess how much time will be needed to restore the pipeline. At the same time, there are alternative routes for supplying oil to Hungary and Slovakia — via the Adriatic pipeline.
Costa emphasized that when the European Council makes a decision, all EU countries must cooperate to implement the agreements.
According to Costa, he wrote to Orbán stating that Hungary is violating the principles of fair and transparent cooperation and urged Hungary to immediately start cooperating.
Hungary’s blackmail
Hungary and Slovakia stopped receiving Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline after a Russian strike at the end of January.
Against this backdrop, the Hungarian and Slovak authorities began putting active pressure on Ukraine. Both countries claim that the pipeline is not being restored for political reasons.
Recently, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that his country would block an EU loan for Ukraine of €90 billion until the Druzhba pipeline is repaired.
