(Daily360.com) – Hungary is standing up to Ukraine in a stunning development. Hungarian officials recently received word that Ukraine was planning to blow up a Russian pipeline which supplies oil to Hungary and as a result they are set to block European Union (EU) military aid. The Hungarian government calls this act “hostile” and has left them furious with Ukrainian officials. Recent leaks to western press sources say Ukrainian president Zelensky may target Russia’s Druzhba pipeline which delivers fuel into Hungary. Additionally, Ukraine has cast aspersions on a Hungarian bank called OTP by saying it’s a sponsor of Russia and blacklisting it. Hungary now is efforting to block weapons and ammunition supplies to Ukraine as a measure of retribution. Peter Szijjarto, Hungary’s Foreign Minister made statements saying the country cannot be party to Ukraine being bolstered by the EU so long at OTP remains blacklisted. Szijjarto segued into mentioning the potential pipeline destruction by saying they see Ukraine as becoming ever more hostile to the NATO member Hungary.
Szijjarto further stated that Hungary is reliant on that pipeline and disrupting it would be devastating to Hungarians as well as the other countries it services. He points out any threat to the pipeline is also a threat to Hungary’s sovereignty as he said “energy supply is a matter of sovereignty.” Hungary’s President Viktor Orbán entered into the friction by tweeting “What!?” in response to a statement by NATO Boss Jens Stoltenberg in which he declared “all members” would like Ukraine to join the alliance.
EU officials are bristling at this conflict between Ukraine and Hungary as they are anxious to increase the war actions against Russia. One official said Ukraine is “on the eve” of a major offensive against Russia. Other EU officials have downplayed this strife saying weapon supplies from the EU to Ukraine will not be deterred.
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