Don't dare to criticize the US, Zelenskyy scolds Europe for "extortion": Ukraine will not allow the EU to buy Russian oil
With the US preoccupied with warfare and unable to focus on other matters, the Ukraine-Russia talks have once again hit a deadlock. At this critical moment, Ukraine and the EU are at odds again.
The reason is that Ukraine attacked the "Friendship" pipeline transporting oil from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia. Hungary used this as an excuse to block the EU from funding Ukraine. Both sides refused to back down, forcing the EU to mediate.
It's quite coincidental that the EU originally did not support member states buying oil from Russia, but due to the tense situation in the Middle East, global oil supply suddenly dropped. Although the EU was reluctant to make any concessions, it secretly wanted to open a loophole to ease the pressure on oil prices.
In this context, the EU surprisingly took Hungary's side, demanding Ukraine to reopen the "Friendship" pipeline. However, some EU officials still questioned whether this move might help Orban win the Hungarian election, allowing this EU "troublemaker" to remain in office.
Zelenskyy clearly rejected the EU's request, stating that the EU has only two choices: either buy Russian oil or stop buying it altogether. This in-between situation is no different from lifting sanctions against Russia.
Regarding EU loans, Zelenskyy even shouted that the EU must implement them, otherwise it would be a blatant extortion. After all, this plan had been unanimously approved by the EU long ago, and the EU cannot block loan disbursement on the grounds of oil.
As for the US, Zelenskyy is not so bold. The US previously announced a 30-day export exemption for Russian oil, and Zelenskyy expressed strong opposition, saying it would only help Russia. Ukraine firmly opposes lifting sanctions against Russia, but he did not use harsh words like "extortion."
After more than four years of war, the performance of the Ukrainian army on the battlefield has been getting worse, while Zelenskyy's attitude towards the West has become increasingly firm, which is really eye-opening.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859806347843779/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.