Hungary will obstruct a proposed 90-billion-euro (£78billion) European Union loan to Ukraine until Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline restart, the coutry’s foreign minister has announced.

Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia have been halted since January 27, after Ukrainian authorities said a Russian drone strike damaged the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude across Ukrainian territory and into Central Europe.

Hungary and Slovakia, which have both secured a temporary exemption from an EU policy banning imports of Russian oil, have accused Ukraine – without offering evidence – of intentionally disrupting supplies.

In a video shared on social media Friday evening, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukraine of “blackmailing” Hungary by refusing to resume oil shipments. He said his government would obstruct a substantial interest-free loan the EU approved in December to assist Kyiv in meeting its military and economic requirements for the next two years.

“We will not give in to this blackmail. We do not support Ukraine’s war, we will not pay for it,” Szijjártó said. “As long as Ukraine blocks the resumption of oil supplies to Hungary, Hungary will block European Union decisions that are important and favorable for Ukraine.”

Hungary’s move to obstruct the crucial funding for Ukraine arrived two days after it halted deliveries of diesel to its besieged neighbour until oil supplies through the Druzhba were restored, and mere days before the fourth anniversary of Russia‘s full-scale invasion.

Almost every nation across Europe has substantially reduced or completely stopped Russian energy imports since Moscow initiated its war in Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Yet Hungary – an EU and NATO member – has preserved and even expanded its procurement of Russian oil and gas.

*** Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. ***

Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has consistently maintained Russian fossil fuels are essential for its economy and that transitioning to energy obtained from alternative sources would trigger an immediate economic meltdown – a claim some experts challenge.

Broadly regarded as the Kremlin’s strongest supporter in the EU, Orbán has forcefully resisted the bloc’s initiatives to sanction Moscow over its invasion, and condemned efforts to target Russia’s energy revenues that help fund the war. His administration has repeatedly threatened to veto EU attempts to support Ukraine.

Not all of the EU’s 27 member states agreed to participate in the 90-billion-euro loan package for Ukraine. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic rejected the proposal, but an agreement was struck in which they did not obstruct the loan and were guaranteed protection from any financial consequences.