Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was asked by Politico about his thinly veiled death threat against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, to which he showed no remorse. Instead, he said that he did not believe that “diplomatic silence” would be “very helpful” in response to Orbán.
Zelensky’s threat, made last week, has already been condemned by the European Union. He stated at the time that “we hope that not a single person in the European Union will block the 90 billion [euros], or the first tranche of the 90 billion, and that the Ukrainian soldiers will have weapons.”
He then added a remark that Hungarian officials interpreted as a threat directed at Orbán.
Notably, Zelensky received the EU’s highest award this week for his “respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.”
Criticism of Zelensky’s death threats seems to have made little impact on the Ukrainian leader, whose entire administration is facing multiple serious investigations for corruption from the country’s own anti-corruption authority.
In addition, the Ukrainian president essentially admitted that he closed the Friendship pipeline in order to interfere in the Hungarian parliamentary elections in April, as reported by Hungarian outlet Hirado.
“And as for when (the Friendship pipeline) would recover. Frankly, I personally wouldn’t recover it. That’s my point. I told the European leaders and those who called me about it, as well as the leadership of the European Union, because it is Russian oil. There are principles that have no price. They are killing us, and we should give oil to Orbán, because he is poor, without which he cannot win an election? That’s my position,” said Zelensky.
Zelensky sharply criticized Orbán in the Politico interview. According to the Ukrainian president, the Hungarian prime minister is “friends” and “strategic partners” with Russia.
“He’s standing on the side of [the] Russian leader. He’s doing the same, blocking everything for Ukraine. Only one thing he doesn’t do today — he is not attacking by missiles or drones our territory,” Zelensky said about Orbán. Zelensky added that Orbán is not sending soldiers to fight Ukraine but said Orbán vetoes financial support and arms deliveries to Ukraine, and also opposes Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. He also added that, in his opinion, the Hungarian prime minister uses the same narratives as Russia.
In the interview, Zelensky also spoke about the fact that Kyiv would like the European Union to prepare “a plan B” in the event that Viktor Orbán blocks EU subsidies to Ukraine.
