Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán suggested he could drop his veto on the EU sending €90 billion to Kyiv if the EU assesses damage to an oil pipeline in Ukraine.
In a letter to European Council President António Costa dated Thursday, obtained by POLITICO, Orbán said he is “fully aware of the political difficulties” created by Budapest blocking the loan, which was agreed upon by all EU leaders at a summit in December.
Capitals have railed against Orbán for changing his mind after a Russian drone damaged the Druzhba pipeline, through which Hungary and Slovakia have continued to import discounted Russian crude oil throughout the four years of the war.
Orbán claims Ukraine is slow-walking repairs to the pipeline and has vowed to veto the loan. Ukraine and top EU figures have denied that this is the case, saying the extent of the damage instead makes it difficult to get Druzhba back online.
“It is in the interest of Hungary to restore the transfer as soon as possible,” Orbán wrote in the letter. “Hungary supports the idea of a fact-finding mission with the participation of experts delegated by Hungary and Slovakia to verify the status of the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary will accept the findings of such a mission.”
A senior EU official, granted anonymity to speak frankly, told POLITICO that the bloc has taken note of requests for an assessment of the damage, but that the security situation makes the task a complex one. In the meantime, capitals are dialing up pressure on Budapest to stick to its commitments.
Ukraine could run out of money in April if the situation is not resolved, while Orbán faces parliamentary elections the same month, with polls showing he trails his rival, Péter Magyar.
