“You do not tell Ukraine's president what to do or say.” Contra harsh between Kyiv and Budapest, after a Ukrainian attack in Russia

The dispute between Kiev and Budapest are targeting the Ukrainian attacks on the Drujba oil pipeline, which feeds Hungary, as well as the Budapest opposition to the start of Ukraine's negotiations for EU accession, I write Kyiv Independent and Reuters.

Kiev and Budapest on Sunday had an exchange of harsh replies, after an Ukrainian attack on the Russian energy infrastructure disrupted oil deliveries through the Drujba pipe, which feeds Hungary and Slovakia.

At a press conference on August 24, President Volodimir Zelenski suggested that the future of the Drujba oil pipeline could depend on the position of Hungary on the accession of Ukraine to the European Union.

“I have always supported the friendship between Ukraine and Hungary,” Zelenski said. “The existence of the” Drujba “pipeline depends on the position of Hungary.”

Zelenski's statements aroused a harsh reaction from Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who accused Zelenski of threatening Hungary and sovereignty.

“We urge Volodimir Zelenski to cease threats to Hungary and not endanger our energy security,” Szijjarto said in a Facebook post.

From Kiev, the Ukrainian Minister Andrii Sîbiha responded to Szijjarto's comments urging Hungary to reduce his dependence on Russian energy, writes Kyiv Independent.

“There is no need to tell the Ukrainian president what to do or say when. He is the President of Ukraine, not Hungary,” Sîbiha wrote on X. “Hungary's energy security is in your hands,” he added.

“Diversify and become independent of Russia, just like the rest of Europe,” said the Ukrainian official.

Chair

Diplomatic tensions appeared a few days after, on August 18, Ukrainian drones attacked the Nikolskoie pumping station in the Tambov region, Russia.

The attack temporarily interrupted the functioning of the Drujba pipe, stopping the deliveries of crude oil to Hungary and Slovakia.

The Drujba pipe, one of the largest in the world, transports oil directly to Hungary and Slovakia, the only countries in the EU that still buy Russian crude oil.

In July, they imported oil worth $ 232 million, respectively $ 196 million.

Hungary has repeatedly opposed EU attempts to completely stop energy imports from Russia and threatened to block Ukraine's accession to the EU.

Meanwhile, Kiev regularly performs attacks on military and industrial installations in Russia, aiming at Russian oil infrastructure to undermine Moscow's sources and to weaken its ability to bear war in Ukraine.

Tensions Poland-Hungary

On Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has published a letter to Donald Trump, saying that Ukraine had attacked the drum just days before the US president met Putin in Alaska on August 15.

Orban has qualified the attack as “a very unhappy move.”

A photocopy of the letter posted by Orban on Facebook showed what seemed to be a note written by Trump, in which he said: “Viktor, I do not like to hear this, I am very upset about it.”

The foreign ministers of Hungary and Slovak also wrote on Friday to the European Commission, to express their dissatisfaction with the Ukrainian attack.

Hungary was declared dissatisfied that Ukraine targeted the Drujba pipe three times in a short period of time.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski responded sarcastic to Szijjártó's dissatisfaction.

“Peter, you have as much solidarity from us as we have from you,” wrote Polish Foreign Minister.