by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief reporting from Budapest, Hungary
KIEV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Lingering tensions between Hungary and neighboring Ukraine escalated into a verbal war Monday, with Budapest accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of threatening its energy security after his forces attacked the Druzhba (”Friendship”) pipeline in Russia.
Further angering Budapest was Zelenskyy’s suggestion Sunday—with a touch of irony—“that recent strikes on the pipeline may have been tied to Hungary’s stance on Ukraine’s European Union accession.”
“We have always maintained ‘Friendship’ [Druzhba in Ukrainian and Russian]. Now the existence of the Druzhba [pipeline] depends on Hungary,” Zelenskyy stressed.
He spoke on Ukraine’s Independence Day, when people remember the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine adopted by the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada) on August 24, 1991.
This act followed a failed coup attempt in Moscow and ended Ukraine’s status as part of the Soviet Union.
CONDEMNING REMARKS
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó swiftly slammed the remarks, accusing Ukraine in a Facebook post of launching attacks “against the security of Hungary’s energy supply” and warning that the attacks could be interpreted as “attacks against sovereignty.”
“An illegitimate explanation for the violation of our sovereignty is a war we have nothing to do with,” Szijjártó wrote, calling on Zelensky to “stop threatening Hungary” and “stop risking” the country’s energy security.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha fired back on social media, insisting that Budapest cannot dictate Kyiv’s actions.
“You don’t need to tell the Ukrainian President what to do or say, and when,” Sybiha posted on social media platform X. “He is the President of Ukraine, not Hungary. Hungary’s energy security is in your own hands,” Sybiha added: “Diversify and become independent from Russia, like the rest of Europe.”
Hungary has long been critical of the war in Ukraine. It has declined to support Kyiv militarily at a time when it is heavily dependent on Russian oil and natural gas.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
After hours of tense negotiations, European Union leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion euro loan (about $100 billion) to meet the wartorn nation’s urgent financial needs. However, they failed to reach a consensus on whether the loan should be secured using Russia’s frozen assets held in Europe.
Several people were detained for trying to interrupt a pro-Israel demonstration at Dam Square in Amsterdam attended by around 2,000 people, police and organizers said.
Five Iranian Christians have been sentenced to a combined 55 years in prison amid a broader crackdown on devout Christian believers in Iran, a strict Islamic nation, sources told Worthy News Thursday.
Egyptian Christians facing religious-based violence and discrimination are increasingly relying on underground safe houses as authorities continue to fall short on protecting minority rights, Christian advocates say.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced plans Tuesday to overhaul the U.S. military’s Chaplain Corps, arguing the institution has drifted from its original mission and lost the “faith and virtue” that defined it when it was established under George Washington more than 250 years ago.
The United States has approved $11.1 billion in new arms-sales packages for Taiwan, signaling continued security support for the island even as President Donald Trump’s administration emphasizes trade and economic engagement with China, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation late Wednesday night that would criminalize gender transition treatments for minors, marking a significant victory for conservatives who argue the federal government must step in to protect children from irreversible medical procedures.