Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary, stated on Friday that he wants the European Union to settle a oil dispute between his country and Ukraine, which could become a stumbling block in the republic’s future debate over renewing sanctions against Russia.
Orban, who spoke on condition radio, claimed that Hungary had to resort to other routes as a result of Ukraine’s decision to stop moving Russian gas through the Brotherhood pipeline, which had led to higher energy prices.
Meanwhile, he claimed EU sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine had cost Hungary 19 billion euros ($ 20 billion ) since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. He did not identify how that proportion was calculated.
He criticized Kyiv’s decision to allow a wartime travel agreement with Russia to expire at the end of 2024, saying,” It’s no good that we pay for the financial effects of sanctions to support Ukraine while they turn around and disaster with us.”
Following the expiration of Ukraine’s travel agreement with Russia, natural gas prices spiked at the beginning of the time, but a rise in liquid natural gas supplies to Europe kept prices moving.
Hungary has indicated it may apply a filibuster to halt the sanctions as the EU prepares to renew sanctions against Moscow in the upcoming year, which calls for the 27-member bloc’s leaders to agree to do so.
Orban has long been a vocal defender of EU sanctions against Moscow, even though he has finally always voted for them, and is widely believed to have the closest connection with the Kremlin of any other EU head.
However, Orban has officially demanded an end to sanctions following the commencement of US President Donald Trump last month, which could mean he would veto the most recent square, which must be decided by January 31.
He said on Friday,” I pulled the clutch and asked Western leaders to realize that this cannot continue,” adding that” the issue of extending the sanctions is now on the plan.” It is unlikely that Hungary does pay the price for the punishment in this way.
” I told my ( EU) colleagues to please understand that we are asking for help”, he continued. We request that they be able to persuade the Russians to recover the gas pipeline.
He added that he desired assurances that Ukraine wouldn’t stop passing Russian oil into Hungary, which he claimed would present a” significant danger” to the nation.
