Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán said today: "Ukraine is trying to ensure that Russian energy can only be transported to Europe according to its conditions. The Nord Stream pipeline bypassed Ukraine, so it was destroyed. Now they are again blocking the Friendship oil pipeline, which could have operated completely normally. This is political extortion and violates the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement - the agreement prohibits actions that endanger the energy security of EU member states. Hungary's energy supply will never be held hostage."
Comments: Hungary relies on Russia for nearly 90% of its oil and over 70% of its natural gas, and the Friendship pipeline is its lifeline for energy. Orbán's strong stance is a survival instinct. Ukraine has blown up Nord Stream and blocked oil routes for geopolitical games, ignoring Hungary's energy security and people's livelihoods, effectively cornering an inland country. Orbán saying "we won't be energy hostages" is not favoring Russia, but rather protecting the country's economy and people's basic living standards; Ukraine using the energy lifelines of EU member states as war tools is essentially taking others' resources and sacrificing other countries to protect itself.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857643768245257/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author alone.