Ukrainian President says Hungary is financing the war against Ukraine

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Ukrainian president once again criticised Hungary. According to Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Hungary is funding Russia’s war against Ukraine by continuing to block the Russian oil embargo.

The Ukrainian President said that the sixth package of sanctions, which already includes the oil embargo, would be preceded by very long negotiations. He believes that Russia will earn $200 billion from the sale of energy during this period, reported 168.hu.

“For such sums, they can buy any weapon they want. Will the sixth package be introduced? No. Why? Because of Hungary. They somehow don’t see the world as it is,” said Zelenskiy at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Although Hungary provides a lot of humanitarian aid to its neighbouring country, the Ukrainian head of state still questions Hungary’s decision regarding the Russian oil embargo.

According to Zelenskiy, Ukrainian people and children are being killed and tortured. “Just like the 18-year-old murderer in Texas, 18-year-old soldiers came to our country from Russia and tortured children. They were told this, and they say: everything is clear. Then they ask the question, ‘What about the oil? Where can we get money?'” said Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Davos, adding that Budapest justifies its position by saying that it needs substantial resources to give up Russian oil.

The Hungarian position on blocking the Russian oil embargo remains unchanged,

reports Index. According to Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, the proposals in the European Commission’s sixth package of sanctions against Russia, which concern gas and oil supplies, cannot be accepted. The Hungarian government will never allow people to pay the price of war, whether it is physical security, energy security or economic security. Hungary has proposed that if the European Union wants to impose an oil embargo, it should exempt pipeline transport. This is the simplest solution, which satisfies the needs of Brussels and does not put countries that receive oil by pipeline in an extremely difficult situation.

According to Ursula Von der Leyen, European Union leaders are unlikely to agree on an oil embargo against Russia at a summit on 30-31 May.

The President of the European Commission said this after Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had said he would not discuss Russian sanctions at the summit at the end of May. In his official response to the sixth package of sanctions in early May, the Hungarian Prime Minister highlighted that the planned package would lead to a further increase in the burden on Hungary’s most vulnerable point, without any meaningful efforts by the European Union to mitigate the effects.

The Hungarian government fears that a ban on Russian oil would deal a devastating blow to the Hungarian economy. According to Ursula Von der Leyen, Viktor Orbán said it would cost €15-18 billion to end dependence on Russian oil, including the restructuring of refineries and pipeline infrastructure. “Negotiations are underway in Brussels on how to respond to Hungary’s demand for money. The first and most important difficulties are the technical difficulties that are being discussed,” said Von der Leyen.

Read alsoMajority of Hungarians against Russia sanctions? – survey

Source: 168.hu, index.hu