Hungary to block 90 billion euro EU loan to Ukraine in Russian oil dispute
Al Jazeera
Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto says Hungary ‘will not give in to this blackmail’ after oil flows from Ukraine halted.
Hungary will block a 90 billion euro ($106bn) EU loan for Ukraine until it resumes oil shipments to the country via the Druzhba pipeline, its foreign minister said on Friday after Budapest said it would tap strategic reserves to tackle a shortage.
Hungary and Slovakia, which have the only remaining refineries in the European Union using Russian oil through Druzhba, have been trying to secure supply since flows were halted on January 27 following what Ukraine said was a Russian drone attack that damaged pipeline infrastructure.
Both countries have blamed Ukraine for the delay in restarting the flows for political reasons. The news agency Reuters requested comments from the Ukrainian foreign ministry and the state oil and gas company on Thursday.
“By blocking oil transit to Hungary through the Druzhba pipeline, Ukraine violates the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, breaching its commitments to the European Union. We will not give in to this blackmail,” Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on X.
At least 1,000 companies have already sued the administration of United States President Donald Trump. Legal experts argue a higher burden will be on small businesses
Lebanon’s official news agency NNA says ‘Israeli drone’ targeted the Hittin neighbourhood of the Ein el-Hilweh camp.
Can wildlife tourism balance conservation, land rights and profit?
Unions have slammed the reforms as an effort under libertarian President Javier Milei to erode protections for workers.
Manchester United owner Jim Ratcliffe has apologised if people were offended by UK ‘colonised by immigrants’ comment.
Eighteen Senegal fans were detained following the AFCON final in Morocco on January 18 and were sentenced on Thursday.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remains under investigation, which means he has neither been charged nor exonerated by police.
Residents say they’re scared for their own homes after a deadly building collapse in northern Lebanon.
