Budapest Threatens to Continue Blocking Ukraine on Its Path Towards NATO

Hungary considers it necessary to continue the policy of blocking Ukraine’s movement towards the North Atlantic Alliance. Such actions are linked not only with Kyiv’s criticism of Budapest’s gas agreements with the Kremlin but also with the language situation in Ukraine.

The statement was made by Minister of the Hungary Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás.

“Ukraine’s revenge took place long before our gas agreements with the Russians when Ukraine had restricted severely the use of the Hungarian language in Zakarpattia region by amending the education law, so Hungary should continue to block its path towards NATO,” the official said.

He added that Ukraine must not interfere in Hungary’s energy policy and “is unable to appreciate a series of gestures” made by the Hungarian authorities to reconcile Budapest and Kyiv.

At the same time, Gulyás stressed that Hungary wanted to get back on “to the path of dialogue.”

On 27 September, Hungary signed a long-term contract with Gazprom for gas supplies bypassing Ukraine. Kyiv sharply criticised the decision and warned about postponing the meeting of the Joint Ukraine–Hungary Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.

Budapest said Kyiv was trying to interfere in Hungarian internal affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary summoned the Ambassador of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned the Ambassador of Hungary. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine asked the Hungarian partners “not to stir up emotions,” while the European Commission promised to examine the consequences of the gas contract concluded by Hungary and the Russian Federation.

Bohdan Marusyak