Tamás Deutsch, Head of ruling' Fidesz's European parliamentary delegation, has called on the European Commission to "take immediate steps to counter Ukraine's blackmail" of Hungary and Slovakia.
In an interview with public radio on Friday, Deutsch criticised the EC’s “inaction” concerning Ukrainian restrictions on the transit of Russian crude to Hungary and Slovakia, insisting that Ukraine was engaged in “blackmail” and in breach of its association agreement with the EU. Noting that Fidesz’s EP group has sent a letter to the EC urging it to take action on the issue, Deutsch said Ukraine’s decision to restrict crude deliveries to two EU member states was “unprecedented”, as it seriously imperilled their energy security. He said Ukraine had made it clear that its goal was to blackmail Slovakia and Hungary with the aim of getting them to change their pro-peace stance and join the “pro-war coalition backing the expansion of the Russia-Ukraine war with money, weapons and political support”. Deutsch said it was “obvious” that Ukraine would “ignore even the issue of energy security if it serves its political goals”.