Hungary will continue to block a €6.5bn programme of military aid to Ukraine under the European Peace Fund until Kyiv lifts sanctions against Russia's Lukoil and resumes oil supplies from Russia to Hungary.
This was stated by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó in an interview with ATV Hіrado.
‘Hungary, together with Slovakia, initiated proceedings against Ukraine in the EU for violating the Association Agreement, which states that Ukraine cannot fully or partially interrupt the transit of energy to the EU countries,’ the Hungarian Foreign Minister said, ‘Now the situation is such that the energy supply of two EU member states, Hungary and Slovakia, is also under threat from the Ukrainians, because 33% of our crude oil imports and about 40-45% of Slovakia's crude oil imports come from Lukoil, from Russia through Ukraine,’ Szijjártó said.
He acknowledges that it will be difficult for the European Commission to support Ukraine in this matter, but Hungary will not stop with a complaint to the EU.
‘I have made it clear that until this issue is resolved by Ukraine, everyone should forget about paying 6.5 billion euros in compensation for the supply of weapons from the European Peace Fund,’ he said.
Szijjártó stressed that the European Commission should really put pressure on Ukraine’ to allow Lukoil to supply oil through Ukraine again.