Orbán replied to Yushchenko: We still want to remain friends, but we will not take part in your war
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán responded to an open letter from former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, urging him to convince the current president "not to blackmail Hungary or threaten its leaders."
According to Censor.NET, citing Radio Liberty, this is stated in a letter he posted on social media.
"Make it clear to your president that the state-sponsored terrorism he used to blow up the German 'Nord Stream' gas pipeline will not work against Hungary," Orbán wrote.
Orbán also recalled that when the war began, Hungary welcomed Ukrainian refugees and provided them with shelter. He claims that he ordered the opening of Ukrainian-language schools, something which, according to him, Ukraine refuses to do for Hungarians in Transcarpathia.
The Hungarian prime minister stated that "the country you are currently at war with is not an enemy of Hungary or the Hungarian people, and we have no intention of changing that."
"We still want to remain your friends, but we will not take part in your war. Therefore, I ask you to accept that we will not send money, weapons, or soldiers to your war," he said.
The day before, Ukraine’s third president, Viktor Yushchenko, sent an open letter to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, urging him to support Ukraine.
The conflict between Ukraine and Hungary over the Druzhba oil pipeline
The Druzhba oil pipeline is one of the world’s largest pipelines, transporting Russian oil to European countries. The oil travels through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia. This route is very important for Hungary, as a significant portion of its oil supply comes via this route.
- In 2025–2026, the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline was halted several times.
- In January 2026, a section of the oil pipeline on Ukrainian territory was damaged.
The conflict between Ukraine and Hungary escalated in 2026 following the suspension of transit.
The Hungarian government is demanding that Ukraine resume transit or allow Hungarian inspectors access to the pipeline, and has even given Ukraine a few days to comply. Orbán accused Ukraine of blocking supplies and even leveled accusations of sabotage. Ukraine claims the damage was caused by the war and rejects the political accusations.
Kyiv has called Hungary's stance blackmail, as Budapest is using the oil issue to exert pressure on EU political matters.
Hungary and Slovakia have threatened to take legal action and block EU decisions related to support for Ukraine.
Ukraine proposed an alternative: transporting oil via the Odesa-Brody pipeline.
