Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, commenting on the Friday Thursday EU summit, acknowledged that European leaders were not satisfied with the fact that Budapest changed its decision to grant Kiev a 90-billion-dollar loan, but "no 1 had stronger arguments than Hungarian".
– Hungary has the right to block a 90-billion-dollar debt for Ukraine. They had no stronger argument than ours. Although harsh words were spoken, not a single moral, legal or political argument was raised that could be utilized against Hungary," Orban said.
The talks of EU leaders in Brussels were described as "controversial, bumpy and somewhat difficult".
The Hungarian Prime Minister expressed his belief that if Ukraine "had imposed an oil blockade on Hungary in December, (Budapest) would never have agreed to a debt of EUR 90 billion". However, in Orban's opinion, if Ukraine was waiting for a affirmative decision, and only then it imposed a blockade, "it cannot anticipate (Hungarian side) to pretend that nothing happened".
At the end of January, the relationship pipeline, which Russia supplies by Ukraine with oil to Hungary and Slovakia, was damaged in the Russian attack. The authorities in Kiev guarantee that they are renovating the oil pipeline, but the government of Orban maintains that the Ukrainian authorities deliberately hold back the re-transitation, and calls these actions ‘shantage’.
When asked on Friday whether Hungary would lift the blockade if Ukraine restored the operation of the pipeline, Orban said it was not just about the supply of oil, but besides about getting a warrant that this would never happen again. “As shortly as the oil arrives and we get guarantees that it will not happen again, the money can be released immediately,” he declared.
The Hungarian Prime Minister besides noted that Europe would not last without Russian energy resources. "Global oil shortages knock on the door," he said.
AB, PAP
