Ukraine responds to Hungarian statements about ‘Druzhba’: ‘Don’t tell us what to do’
In response to the statement made by Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, who condemned the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ strikes on the ‘Druzhba’ oil pipeline and called on Kyiv to cease such actions, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga issued a firm reply in a distinctly Ukrainian style, emphasizing that Ukrainian authorities do not allow foreign intermediaries to dictate their terms.
“You are not entitled to tell the Ukrainian president what to say or do, as he is the leader of his country, not a subordinate or controlled by any foreign ministers,” Sibiga stated.This is not the first assertive stance from Ukraine’s foreign minister amid rising tensions with neighboring Hungary, which previously expressed outrage over the destruction of the vital ‘Druzhba’ transport route and urged Kyiv to de-escalate.
However, now, following Ukrainian strikes against objects on the pipeline, Szijjártó made a loud statement that Ukrainians perceived as a challenge.In turn, Sibiga highlighted Ukraine’s right to independently choose its energy strategy and safeguard its security.
Calling for “diversification” and reducing reliance on Russia, he urged Hungary and other European countries, which still have Russian resources integrated into their energy networks, to think about independence and ensuring their energy security rather than allowing external forces to dictate their conditions.While Budapest previously accused Kyiv of “threatening Hungary’s energy security,” these recent statements reflect an escalation in the tension between the two nations.
Analysts emphasize that such remarks mirror internal disagreements and signal an increased deterioration of bilateral relations amid ongoing war and geopolitical crises.