Orbán: We will block €90bn for Ukraine until Druzhba pipeline resumes its work

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said he will block European funding for Ukraine until Kyiv restores the operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline for supplies of Russian oil to Hungary.

Commenting on the possible provision of European support to Ukraine of €90 billion for two years, Orbán said his weekly address on government-controlled Kossuth Radio, "We will never support any financial assistance that Brussels may provide to Ukraine until the Ukrainians let the oil through". He also did not guarantee that he would lift the veto if the pipeline resumes operations.

"No one, not even the Germans, can demand a positive response from us. We will respond (in the EU vote that Hungary is blocking – ed.) as our interests require," Orbán said.

According to Orbán, the Druzhba oil pipeline allegedly has no technical problems and the basis for it stopping work is allegedly a "political decision".

"The Ukrainians have decided to cut Hungary off from Russian oil that belongs to us," Orbán said.

He also stated an intention not to comply with a pan-European decision on an embargo on supplies of Russian energy.

"It must be stated clearly that we will not comply with Ukraine's demand to give up cheap Russian energy," the Hungarian prime minister said.

Orbán previously threatened to use force to make Ukraine resume oil supplies via Druzhba but did not specify what this meant.

On the same day in Hungary, law enforcement officers seized Ukrainian armoured bank vehicles. Ukraine's foreign ministry called this "hostage-taking and state terrorism".

At the same time, on 5 March, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said how long Orbán would have to wait for the resumption of the Druzhba pipeline operation.