Hungary's Orban claims Ukraine ready to resume oil flows via Druzhba pipeline
on Google
Outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claimed on April 19 that Budapest has received signals that Ukraine is ready to restore oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline as early as April 20.
"Through Brussels, we have received an indication from Ukraine that they are ready to restore oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline as early as Monday, provided that Hungary lifts its blockade of the €90 billion EU loan," Orban wrote on X. "Hungary's position has not changed: no oil = no money."
Orban's claim comes a week after he and his Fidesz party lost a historic parliamentary election, ending his 16-year rule over Hungary and ushering in a new government led by the Tisza party's Peter Magyar.
The election outcome was met with relief in the European Union, where Orban consistently wielded Hungary's veto power to block financial assistance to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. Most recently, Orban had been blocking a planned EU loan of 90 billion euros ($104 billion) to Kyiv over the issue of the Druzhba pipeline.
The Druzhba pipeline, a key network that delivered Russian crude to Hungary and Slovakia via Ukrainian territory, went offline after Kyiv reported that it was damaged in a Russian strike in western Ukraine. Bratislava and Budapest accused Ukraine of intentionally withholding transit and vowed to block the loan in retaliation.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 9 that Kyiv was willing to restore oil flows via the pipeline if it was a condition of the loan and that repairs would by completed in spring.
"We will complete the repairs because that is the agreement. I told (the EU) we would finish this spring," Zelensky said.
Magyar has not pledged to continue Orban's boycott of the EU loan. Following the April 12 election, Magyar told reporters that he did not see why the loan was causing issues, as Hungary is not financially obligated to contribute.
Magyar may assume the role of prime minister as early as May 9, following the formation of Hungary's new parliament. Until then, officials from Orban's Fidesz party are still representing Hungary in the EU.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, will reportedly participate in a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on April 21 to discuss unblocking the funds, EU diplomats told the outlet European Pravda.
Orban's latest social media post suggests the funds may be unblocked before Magyar takes office, if Ukraine completes the repairs and reaches an agreement with the EU.
"Once oil deliveries are restored, we will no longer stand in the way of approving the loan," he said. "The disbursement of the loan does not impose a financial burden or obligation on Hungary."
Neither Kyiv nor Brussels has confirmed Orban's claim that the oil flows could be restored by April 20.
Orban, long known as the most Kremlin-friendly leader in the EU, leaned heavily on a campaign of scapegoating Ukraine and accusing Kyiv of "energy blackmail" in his bid for re-election. The strategy proved unsuccessfully, with Magyar's Tisza party winning in a landslide.
