Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has again lashed out at Hungary for its position not to send weapons to Ukraine and opposing a total ban on Russian oil and gas.
“Everyone knows exactly who is facing humanity and common sense in the EU, who is doing nothing for the peace of Ukraine. It must end, and Europe can no longer listen to Budapest’s objections,” Zelensky said in a video message to the Danish Parliament on Tuesday.
After the speech, Zelensky summed up the solidarity he expects from EU countries on his Telegram channel, writing, “Sanctions must be extended, Russian oil must be abandoned, Russia must not be traded and ports must be closed to Russian ships.”
This was the second time the Ukrainian President criticized the Hungarian position in the run-up to April 3 elections, raising concerns the Ukrainian president may be trying to intervene in order to help a more pro-war left emerge victorious.
Last week, in a video message to the European Union Zelensky said, “You (Hungarians) must decide whom to side with,” and directly asking the Hungarian prime minister: “Viktor, do you know what is happening in Mariupol?”
Asked about Zelensky’s remarks in an interview on the Kossuth national radio station on Sunday morning, Orbán reminded Zelensky of Hungary’s humanitarian response to the country — Hungary has now processed over 350,000 Ukrainian refugees according to UNHCR data — but insisted the country’s position has not changed regarding its refusal to permit military aid to cross through its territory, and its opposition to a ban on Russian energy imports.
“What the Ukrainians are asking is nothing less than entirely stopping the Hungarian economy to again lose years of development and for the Hungarian economy to fall back to where it was eight to ten, or who knows how many years ago,” Orbán said.
