Zelenskyy hints that Druzhba pipeline's fate hinges on Hungary's veto on Ukraine's EU accession
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has alluded to the fact that strikes on the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russia are directly linked to Hungary’s stance on Ukraine’s EU accession.
Source: Zelenskyy at a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda
Details: A reporter asked Zelenskyy whether Kyiv has gained more leverage over Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán since the recent strikes on the Druzhba pipeline and after Zelenskyy had asked US President Donald Trump for help in lifting Hungary’s veto on opening EU accession talks for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy replied: "We have always supported friendship between Ukraine and Hungary. And now the existence of Druzhba [which means 'friendship' in Ukrainian – ed.] depends on Hungary’s position."
Earlier, European Pravda reported that the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies oil to Hungary, has become an issue in the dialogue between Ukraine and Hungary.
Orbán’s veto on opening the first cluster of Ukraine’s EU membership negotiations has been identified as the main sticking point.
Background:
- On 21 August, Zelenskyy said he had asked US President Donald Trump to try to persuade Orbán not to block Ukraine’s path to EU membership.
- On 22 August, Hungary was notified that the Druzhba pipeline on the Russia-Belarus border had "come under attack for the third time in a short period".
- The Hungarian and Slovak foreign ministers complained to the European Commission about the strikes, and Orbán said he had written to Trump about the matter.
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