Future Prime Minister Péter Magyar strongly demands from Volodymyr Zelensky to restore oil transit through the Druzhba. He warns Ukraine against political blackmail.
On Monday, future Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi for Ukraine to resume the transportation of oil through the Druzhba pipeline, if it is operational. According to the infostart.hu server, Magyar said this at a press conference after the first meeting of the parliamentary caucus of the Tisza party, which won a two-thirds majority in the April parliamentary elections, reports a reporter in Budapest.
- Future Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar called on Volodymyr Zelensky to restore oil transit.
- Magyar claims that the Druzhba pipeline is functional and the contracts guarantee the supply of oil.
- Magyar accused Ukraine of blackmail and called such a procedure unacceptable.
“I am sending a message to President Zelensky, whom I have not yet spoken to and whom I do not know, that this is not a game. If the Druzhba pipeline is suitable for opening, let him send oil and the Russians will supply it, as everyone has committed to in the relevant contract. Ukraine should not be involved in blackmail, that is not a good attitude,” Magyar underlined.
Budapest blocks the loan
Zelenskyy said last week on Tuesday that the pipeline will be back in operation by the end of April. Oil from Russia has not flowed through Druzhba to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia since January 27, when, according to Kyiv, it was damaged by a Russian attack. Both Orbán and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico repeatedly claim that the pipeline is not damaged and that Ukraine refuses to restore transit for political reasons. In this context, Budapest is blocking the payment of the already agreed EU loan as well as the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia.
