Hungary will use ‘every means’ in Ukraine oil dispute, Orban warns

Hungary will use “every means” to resolve an escalating row with neighbouring Ukraine over stalled Russian oil supplies to Budapest, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday.

Hungary and Slovakia say Ukraine is deliberately delaying reopening the Druzhba pipeline pumping Russian oil to the two landlocked EU member states, which Kyiv says was damaged by Russian strikes in January.

“We have stopped gasoline deliveries to Ukraine, we are not delivering diesel either, we are still delivering electricity, and we will also stop things passing through Hungary things that are important to Ukraine, until we receive Ukraine’s approval for oil deliveries,” Orbán told state radio.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had earlier accused Hungary of taking “hostage” a group of Ukrainian bank employees who were reportedly transporting €34.4 million, and nine kilograms of gold through the country.

Hungary’s relations with neighbouring Ukraine – already strained by…