Hungary will block a planned 90 billion euro EU loan to Ukraine until Russian oil transit via the "Druzhba" pipeline is resumed, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said, quoted by the Associated Press, BTA reported.
Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia have been cut off since January 27 after Ukrainian authorities said a Russian drone attack damaged the "Druzhba" pipeline, which carries fuel through Ukrainian territory to Central Europe.
Hungary and Slovakia, which received a temporary exemption from a European ban on Russian oil imports, accused Kiev of deliberately obstructing supplies, without providing any evidence.
In a video posted on social media, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukraine of "blackmailing" Hungary by not restoring oil transit. He said his government would block a large interest-free loan approved by the EU in December, which is intended to help Kiev cover its military and economic needs for the next two years.
"We will not give in to this pressure. We do not support Ukraine's war and we will not finance it," Szijjártó said. "As long as Ukraine prevents the resumption of oil supplies to Hungary, we will block European Union decisions that are important and favorable to Kiev," he added.
Budapest's decision to withhold key funding comes two days after Hungary suspended diesel supplies to its neighbor until the flow through the Druzhba pipeline is restored, and just days before the fourth anniversary of the start of a full-scale Russian invasion.
Not all of the 27 EU member states supported the 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic initially opposed the plan, but an agreement was eventually reached not to block the package in exchange for guarantees of protection from possible financial consequences.