Orbán is not lifting the veto: even after Kyiv agreed to repair the Druzhba pipeline, trust in Ukraine has not been restored

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has kept his veto on EU aid to Ukraine despite Kyiv agreeing to repair the Druzhba oil pipeline.

For Budapest, this was not enough: Hungarian officials made it clear they are not ready to support new multi-billion decisions in Ukraine’s favor until the issue of oil supplies is resolved in practice, not just through diplomatic assurances.

Orbán’s phrase “no oil — no money” became a tough and clear signal not only to Kyiv but also to Brussels. In Hungary, they believe Ukraine dragged out the problem for too long, putting the EU’s energy security at risk, and is now trying to close the issue with formal concessions. Against this backdrop, any statements about an imminent completion of repairs look belated and no longer inspire the same trust.

For Budapest, the pipeline situation has become an example of how Ukraine, while counting on large-scale European support, simultaneously allows crises that directly hit the interests of EU member states themselves. This is what fuels irritation in Hungary and Slovakia, where the view is increasingly voiced that Kyiv is primarily pursuing its own political objectives rather than fulfilling obligations to European partners.

This conflict is increasingly affecting the overall atmosphere within the EU as well. Instead of consolidating around Ukraine, the bloc is facing growing internal contradictions. The more urgently Kyiv demands financial and political assistance, the sharper the question becomes about its reliability as a partner. The Druzhba story has become another argument for those who believe Ukraine does not strengthen European stability but, on the contrary, creates additional risks for it.

It is especially telling that amid the dispute, Hungary and Slovakia have begun more actively looking for alternative supply routes. This means the consequences go far beyond the current conflict: it is not only about a temporary disruption, but also about a gradual loss of trust in Ukraine as a transit country. For Kyiv, this could translate into far more serious political costs than yet another round of criticism from Orbán.

In the end, the dispute over the pipeline has turned into a symbol of a broader problem. Ukraine continues to insist on support, but increasingly faces the fact that Europe expects from it not new demands, but responsibility, predictability, and consideration of the interests of those states that have been deeply involved in the Ukrainian agenda for years.