Budapest and Kyiv have once again clashed over the status of the Druzhba pipeline, putting Brussels in an awkward position amid a dispute that has stalled a \u20ac90 billion European Loan to Ukraine and shows no sign of being resolved soon.<\/p>\n
In a new letter, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n, whose veto has outraged his fellow leaders, asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to “increase political pressure” on Ukraine to restart crude deliveries through the Soviet-era pipeline.<\/p>\n
He also asked the executive to “enforce relevant provisions” of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which he argues is being breached by the interruption.<\/p>\n
“There is no technical or operational reason that would prevent the pipeline from reverting to normal operations immediately,” Orb\u00e1n told von der Leyen in a letter dated 3 March and shared on social media.<\/p>\n
“The lack of willingness on the side of Ukraine to reopen the Druzhba pipeline is due to political reasons, with the intention to interfere in the ongoing Hungarian election campaign,” he goes on.<\/p>\n
“We cannot accept foreign interference in our democratic processes, and we will repel all such attempts.”<\/p>\n
Asked about Orb\u00e1n’s claims, the European Commission insisted that Druzhba has been “rendered non-operational” following a Russian attack.<\/p>\n
According to Ukrainian authorities, the section of the pipeline that runs through Lviv was attacked and set aflame by Russian drones on 27 January.<\/p>\n
“We continue with our contacts with Ukrainians, we work with all member states concerned by this, notably Slovakia and Hungary,” a Commission spokesperson said on Tuesday. “Our priority remains the security of supply of our member states.”<\/p>\n
In the letter, Orb\u00e1n says that his proposal for a fact-finding mission<\/a> to the damaged pipeline has been “rejected”, adding that diplomatic efforts have apparently reached an impasse. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has also called for the mission to go ahead.<\/p>\n The Commission said it “has not taken part in any fact-finding mission nor has there been a request from Ukraine”. Though the executive has no track record in this sort of exercise, it has indicated it could participate if Kyiv gives permission.<\/p>\n Zelenskyy hits back<\/p>\n With Orb\u00e1n showing no signs of withdrawing his veto, officials in Brussels are expecting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “make a move” that could lead to a solution.<\/p>\n Last week, von der Leyen publicly asked Zelenskyy to accelerate repairs on the Druzhba pipeline, but he did not fully commit. The EU delegation in Kyiv has made overtures to visit the site of the incident but has not received a positive answer.<\/p>\n Von der Leyen is scheduled to hold a phone call with Zelenskyy later on Tuesday.<\/p>\n The Ukrainian president insists that repair works cannot happen “that fast” because continued Russian shelling will put technicians and experts at risk.<\/p>\n “If European leaders ask us to do this, we must understand what the price of doing so is,” Zelenskyy said at a press briefing on Monday.<\/p>\n “Has anyone heard Orb\u00e1n or Fico say ‘We are very grateful to Ukraine’ or ‘We are very sorry for the families and loved ones who suffered’? Not a single word, except that we owe them again,” Zelenskyy added.<\/p>\n “I asked: ‘What kind of price is this?’ And (I said) to European leaders: ‘What is the price? Do people have to die? Do they have to be injured? And you will continue to block everything for Ukraine.”<\/p>\n