Hungary's Orbán threatens further anti-Ukraine measures over Russian oil dispute

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán raised the prospect of further actions against Ukraine to force the resumption of Russian oil deliveries.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday raised the prospect of further actions his government could take against Ukraine to force the resumption of Russian oil deliveries that have been stalled to Hungary and Slovakia since January.

Speaking to media in Brussels a day after he blocked a 90-billion euro ($104-billion) European Union loan to Ukraine, Orbán said he and his government have “a lot of cards in our hands” beyond holding up the financial aid Kyiv needs to equip its armed forces and keep its economy running.

“We have other tools as well,” he said. “Forty percent of Ukraine’s electricity supply goes through Hungary, we haven’t touched that yet. (The E.U.) constantly wants to introduce new sanctions (against Russia). That will require unanimity, and we will not give it.”

Tensions between Hungary and Ukraine have escalated in recent weeks into a bitter feud over Hungary’s access to Russian oil through a pipeline that crosses Ukrainian territory.

Oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline were interrupted after what Ukraine said was a Russian drone strike damaged the pipeline’s infrastructure. Hungary’s government has accused Ukraine of deliberately creating an “oil blockade” to hold up supplies of Russian crude, and has promised to block all E.U. measures to assist Kyiv until shipments resume.