Dispute over Druzhba Pipeline: Budapest Accuses Kyiv of Blackmail, EU Demands Inspection

Relations between Kyiv and Budapest have sharply deteriorated amid the impasse over Russian oil transit through Ukrainian territory. The Ukrainian transmission system operator reported critical damage to the control equipment of the Druzhba pipeline, claiming the faults are not externally visible, complicating verification. The Hungarian side, represented by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, rejects these explanations, calling Ukraine's actions "energy blackmail." In response, Budapest maintains its veto on the EU's €35 billion loan for Ukraine, financed from profits of frozen Russian assets. The situation was complicated by Slovakia, which reduced electricity exports to Ukraine, citing increased domestic demand and the need to stabilize its own energy system. Overnight, another round of diplomatic tensions erupted when Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly criticized Viktor Orbán for his close ties with the Kremlin. The Ukrainian president expressed hope for the Hungarian prime minister's electoral defeat, which Budapest deemed an unacceptable interference in its internal affairs. Since 2022, Hungary and Slovakia have benefited from an EU exemption from sanctions on Russian oil transported via pipelines, making them almost entirely dependent on transit through Ukraine. Parallel to the energy dispute, Orbán held a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin. According to official statements, the topics included not only raw material supplies but also the state of the Ukrainian army and the situation on the front, causing consternation in European capitals. European Commission representatives, including Ursula von der Leyen, are pressuring Kyiv to allow an international technical inspection of the pipeline to definitively confirm the scale of infrastructure damage. On the war front, the situation remains highly dynamic. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Gen. Syrskyi, reported a change in tactics by Russian aviation and Shahed drone operators, who now operate in larger, coordinated groups. Despite this, President Zelenskyy remains optimistic in recent addresses, claiming the latest Russian offensive has failed and the aggressor's army is nearing systemic paralysis. He also categorically rejected any territorial concessions in Donbas, arguing that any ceded land would encourage Putin to expand further into Europe. „Ja ne widdam Donbas. Jakszczo my zaraz postupymosia, Putin pryjde za bilszym. Win powynen prohraty ciu wijnu pownistiu.” (I will not give up Donbas. If we make concessions now, Putin will come for more. He must lose this war completely.) — Volodymyr Zelenskyy