EU Leaders Accuse Hungary of Sabotaging Ukraine Support on War Anniversary
European leaders have accused Hungary of sabotaging support for Ukraine on the eve of the fourth anniversary of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion, after Budapest defiantly blocked fresh economic measures against Moscow. Germany, France, and other EU states failed to persuade Viktor Orbán's government on Monday to approve the latest EU sanctions package and a €90 billion loan meant to help Kyiv meet its military and financial needs.
Political Sabotage Allegations
Poland's prime minister, Donald Tusk, described Hungary's actions as "political sabotage", a sentiment echoed by other senior figures. The row threatens to overshadow a carefully choreographed display of solidarity between Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his key European partners. Several EU leaders are expected to visit Kyiv on Tuesday, including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, to mark the sombre milestone.
The anniversary follows a brutal and freezing winter in which Russia has systematically dismantled Ukraine's energy infrastructure with drone and ballistic missile attacks, leaving millions without power. Cities like Kyiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv have been particularly badly affected, exacerbating humanitarian crises.
Hungary's Demands and Ukraine's Response
Budapest says it will block further sanctions against Russia until Ukraine resumes the delivery of oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline. On Monday, Slovakia's prime minister Robert Fico said he was cutting emergency assistance to Ukraine because of the halt in oil deliveries. Ukraine, however, claims the Kremlin is responsible for the interruption, alleging Russian bombs knocked out the pipeline last month.
In a retaliatory move, Ukrainian long-range drones damaged an oil pumping station in Russia's Tatarstan region, which is part of the Druzhba network. Arriving for a meeting in Brussels, Hungary's foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, complained that Ukraine was behaving in "a very hostile manner" towards his country.
European Solidarity and Criticism
Poland's foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, hit out at Hungary's decision to block the loan, calling it "shocking" given Budapest's own history of Soviet invasion. He suggested Orbán's anti-Ukrainian rhetoric was aimed at a domestic audience ahead of elections in March. Other European figures paid tribute to Ukraine's resilience, with Germany's chancellor, Friedrich Merz, describing the anniversary as "four monstrous years of war" and urging continued support.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, reaffirmed his country's "unwavering" commitment to Ukraine during a meeting with Finland's leader, Alexander Stubb. Meanwhile, Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, downplayed immediate interest in the presidency, though he did not rule out running after the war ends.
Rebuilding Costs and Peace Prospects
In a report on Monday, the World Bank estimated Ukraine needs $588 billion to rebuild from the destruction caused by Russia's all-out 2022 attack, a figure 12% higher than last year. The frontline Donetsk and Kharkiv regions would require the most investment. Despite worsening conditions, Zelenskyy insisted Ukraine was "definitely not losing", noting recent territorial gains in the south.
Further peace talks are expected in Geneva later this week, though negotiations with Russia, brokered by the US, are not proceeding smoothly. The Kremlin has refused to modify its maximalist demands for Ukraine to hand over the entire Donbas region, which Zelenskyy has ruled out, citing the abandonment of hundreds of thousands of people.
