Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil pipelines to Hungary, Slovakia are form of ‘sanctions’: Zelenskyy

PARIS:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that attacks on Russian energy supplies to Hungary and Slovakia are a form of “sanctions”, RT reported.

In August, Ukraine repeatedly struck the Druzhba pipeline, a key route transporting Russian and Kazakh crude to Slovakia and Hungary. Both EU nations have since accused Kiev of threatening their energy security, RT added.

Speaking at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday, Zelenskyy said, “Among others, there are two countries, we know that these are Hungary and Slovakia.” He added that Ukrainian attacks on the Russian energy pipelines “reduce the possibilities of [Hungary and Slovakia] obtaining the corresponding oil.”

US President Donald Trump has expressed displeasure over Western European nations continuing to buy Russian oil, Zelensky noted. According to Budapest, Trump wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Viktor Orban last month, “I am very angry about it. Tell Slovakia,” RT reported.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said both Budapest and Bratislava have demanded that the European Commission act against Ukrainian attacks on a pipeline “indispensable” to their energy security. The European Commission has contacted Kiev, urging all sides to “ensure the security of critical infrastructure,” RT added.

Szijjarto further announced on Monday that Hungary would accelerate the development of a joint oil pipeline with neighboring Serbia. He noted that gas supplies to the country via Serbia and the TurkStream route have grown to 21 million cubic meters a day.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico warned that his country will “retaliate very harshly” against Ukrainian attacks on the Druzhba pipeline, adding that he will raise the issue in talks with Zelensky later this week, RT reported.

Slovakia and Hungary have called on the European Commission to act against the attacks and ensure the security of the Druzhba pipeline, highlighting ongoing tensions over energy supplies in the region. (ANI)