“Let’s take care of Transcarpathia”: Hungary refused Ukraine’s “energy blackmail”

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on February 22 that caution was needed when it came to electricity supplies to Ukraine. He said that a possible halt to exports could negatively impact the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia.

He wrote about this on Facebook .

Szijjártó noted that the government’s energy council met due to the suspension of Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline and discussed the issue of suspending electricity imports to Ukraine.

He emphasized that almost half of Ukraine’s electricity imports come from Hungary, and a possible cessation of exports could primarily affect Transcarpathia, where the Hungarian minority lives.

“Our dispute is not with the people living in Ukraine, and not with the families. Our dispute is with the Ukrainian state, with the Ukrainian government, with President Zelensky,” Szijjártó said.

The minister also reported that on February 23, the EU Foreign Affairs Council plans to adopt the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, but Hungary intends to block it.

“Hungary will block it. Until Ukraine resumes oil transit to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, we will not allow decisions important for Kyiv to be made,” the official added.

As is known, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced a possible interruption of electricity supplies to Ukraine if oil transit through the Druzhba oil pipeline is not resumed. According to him, a significant part of electricity comes to Ukraine from Hungary, and its interruption could have consequences.

Earlier, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that he may initiate the termination of emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine if oil transit is not restored by Monday, February 23.

Also follow “Pryamim” on Facebook , Twitter , Telegram , and Instagram.