With the country facing a potential energy crisis, PM Orbán announced immediate retaliatory measures and slammed the political opposition for being "paid by the Ukrainians".
Addressing the halt of crude oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline, Prime Minister Orbán dismissed Ukrainian claims of technical difficulties as an obvious lie. Instead, he characterized the move as a deliberate political decision by President Zelenskyy to place Hungary under an "oil blockade".
The stakes are exceptionally high for the Hungarian economy. PM Orbán warned: "If there is no crude oil through the Druzhba pipeline, then economic chaos will ensue." According to assessments from MOL, the Hungarian energy company, a prolonged shutdown could drive gasoline prices up to 1,000 HUF per liter, causing widespread disruptions across all sectors.
In response, Prime Minister Orbán outlined a series of countermeasures designed to protect Hungarian interests. "We started with the simplest: if you don’t give oil, we don’t give diesel," PM Orbán stated, referring to the halt of fuel exports to Ukraine. Furthermore, Hungary has blocked the disbursement of a 90-billion-euro loan package to Ukraine within the EU.
Prime Minister Orbán also warned that Hungary will not support any new EU sanction packages against Russia or any measures crucial to Ukraine until oil flows are restored. Regarding the stance of some Western European nations, who have criticized Hungary's vetoes, PM Orbán was dismissive: "That is because the poor Western Europeans do not know the Ukrainians and do not know Central European conditions".
PM Orbán took a hardline stance against the Hungarian domestic opposition, specifically naming Péter Magyar and the Tisza Party, saying that they are directly funded by Ukrainian interests to destabilize the current national government. "The Ukrainians are neck-deep in the Tisza Party," Prime Minister Orbán asserted, stating that the opposition seeks to force Hungary to stop buying Russian oil and to send funds to Ukraine. He argued that this would ultimately draw Hungary into the ongoing conflict, a scenario he is determined to avoid.
Looking at the broader geopolitical context, Prime Minister Orbán warned that Europe is closer to a major escalation than at any point since the conflict began four years ago. While Hungary has successfully avoided involvement thus far, PM Orbán noted that European leaders are increasingly pushing for direct intervention. "The European Union’s major Western states... want to go into Ukraine," he said, citing a recent European Parliament resolution supporting the deployment of a multinational security force.
Despite this pressure, Prime Minister Orbán reaffirmed his commitment to keeping Hungary safe and neutral. "As long as I am Prime Minister, everyone can sleep soundly, because we will not be forced into this," PM Orbán concluded.