Hungary Halts Key EU Decisions
Hungary has this week blocked the European Union's 20th sanctions package targeting Russia and a substantial €90 billion loan intended for Ukraine. The move, announced by Hungarian officials, has deepened divisions within the bloc as it coincided with the fourth anniversary of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Budapest has explicitly linked its veto to demands for the immediate resumption of Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline.
The Druzhba Pipeline Dispute
The core of the dispute revolves around the Druzhba oil pipeline, a critical conduit for Russian crude oil to Central European nations. Shipments to Hungary and Slovakia via the pipeline have been interrupted since January 27, 2026. Ukrainian authorities claim the disruption was caused by a Russian drone strike that damaged pipeline equipment on Ukrainian territory. However, both Budapest and Bratislava (Slovakia) contend that Kyiv is responsible for the prolonged outage, describing it as a threat to their energy security.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reportedly wrote to European Council President Antonio Costa, characterizing the outage as an 'unprovoked act of hostility' and vowing to block the loan package until the issue is resolved. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó echoed this stance, stating that 'We will not consent to the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions, because we have previously made it clear that until the Ukrainians resume oil shipments to Hungary, we will not allow decisions that are important to them to be approved.'
EU Reactions and Broader Implications
The Hungarian veto has drawn strong criticism and frustration from other EU member states. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged that agreement on new sanctions was unlikely at the recent meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, though negotiations are ongoing. Germany and Poland have urged Hungary to reconsider, warning that internal divisions risk weakening Europe's unified stance against Moscow. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski criticized Budapest's approach, invoking Hungary's own history of Soviet aggression.
The €90 billion loan to Ukraine, intended for 2026-2027, had been tentatively agreed upon by EU leaders in December 2025. Slovakia has also aligned with Hungary's position, threatening to cut emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine if oil shipments are not restored. The requirement for unanimous approval for EU sanctions and significant financial aid packages means Hungary's stance effectively stalls these critical measures. Some EU officials have suggested exploring alternative options, such as utilizing frozen Russian assets, should the loan remain blocked.
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