Hungarian PM threatens "consequences" over Zelenskyy's remarks about Druzhba pipeline

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s remarks about the Druzhba oil pipeline as "blackmail and threats", adding that they would have "long-term consequences".

As reported by major Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán posted in the closed Facebook group Harcosok Klubja that it had been an eventful weekend and claimed that President Zelenskyy had openly threatened Hungary. He added that Zelenskyy had admitted that they were striking the Druzhba pipeline because Hungary did not support Ukraine’s accession to the EU and argued that this showed Hungarians had made the right decision. 

Orbán also stated that blackmail, bombings and threats would not bring anyone into the EU, warning that Zelenskyy’s words would have long-term consequences.

According to a recent European Pravda article, Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces under Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, who had struck a Druzhba pumping station twice in recent days, were exerting strong pressure on Orbán. The article noted that until now Kyiv had refrained from targeting Druzhba, primarily to avoid damaging relations with Hungary. 

It added that Orbán’s new course had left Ukraine with no choice, and while Ukraine would not officially admit a link between the strikes and the accession process, the number of coincidences left little doubt.

On 24 August, Zelenskyy confirmed European Pravda’s version of the link between the strikes on Druzhba – which supplies oil to Hungary – and the Ukrainian-Hungarian dialogue, where the main issue is Orbán’s veto on EU decisions related to Ukraine’s accession process.

"We have always supported friendship between Ukraine and Hungary. And now the existence of Druzhba [which means 'friendship' in Ukrainian – ed.] depends on Hungary’s position," Zelenskyy said.

Orbán also decided to write to US President Donald Trump regarding Ukraine’s attack on Druzhba, and Trump supposedly replied that he was angry.

The European Commission confirmed that it was aware of the temporary suspension of oil supplies through Druzhba to Slovakia and Hungary and that it had received a corresponding letter from their authorities.