Vance: Ukrainians are causing Hungarian people to suffer by attempting to influence elections
US Vice-President J.D. Vance has accused Ukraine of deliberately shutting down the Druzhba oil pipeline in an attempt to influence the Hungarian elections.
He made the comments during a visit to Hungary, as quoted by The Guardian, reports Censor.NET.
Vance was asked about his recent statement that "Ukrainian intelligence services are allegedly trying to influence" the elections in the US or Hungary.
At the start of his reply, the US Vice-President referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s "threat" to pass on the address of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to the Ukrainian military. Vance described Zelenskyy’s remarks as "absolutely scandalous" and "absurd".
He then moved on to what he considers to be foreign interference in the Hungarian elections.
"I was also told that the visit of the US Vice-President, who stated that Viktor Orbán is doing a good job and is a useful statesman for the cause of peace, constitutes foreign influence. But what is not foreign interference is when the European Union threatens to withhold billions of dollars from Hungary because you are defending your borders; that, apparently, is not foreign interference. Foreign interference is not when Ukrainians block pipelines, causing suffering to the Hungarian people, in an attempt to influence the elections, which, allegedly, is not foreign interference," said Vance.
At the same time, he said, the US does not use such methods of pressure.
"We would never do that, because we respect the Hungarian people enough to respect their sovereignty. The fact that so many foreign players, whether transnational organisations such as bureaucrats in Brussels or foreign governments, are literally threatening the Hungarian people: ‘Vote this way, or else we will take revenge on you’ – this should make you very angry," said the US Vice-President.
What preceded
- We would remind you that the day before, US Vice-President J.D. Vance spoke of attempts by certain "elements" within Ukraine’s security services to influence the elections in the United States and Hungary.
- The Foreign Ministry responded that Ukraine views US Vice-President JD Vance’s statements regarding Ukraine’s possible interference in the elections in the US and Hungary without undue emotion.
