Volodymyr Zelensky said he could give Ukraine’s military the phone number of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban if he continues to block the allocation of a €90 billion loan to Ukraine. “Let them call him and speak to him in their own language,” the Ukrainian president said.
According to Zelensky, it is Budapest’s position that remains the main obstacle to the aid package. “We understand that we have no alternative to this money. We understand that these funds are blocked by one person. Officially, there are no secrets here,” he stressed.
The Ukrainian president’s remarks were criticized by Peter Magyar, leader of Hungary’s opposition Tisza party. As reported by the portal 444, he said such threats directed at Hungarian politicians were unacceptable. “No foreign head of state can threaten anyone—any Hungarian. Neither Orban’s outgoing government nor the future government of ‘Tisza’. Therefore, I call on the Ukrainian president to explain his words, and if he did indeed say this, to withdraw them,” Magyar said.
Earlier the same day, Zelensky warned that he might pass Orban’s phone number to Ukrainian soldiers if the Hungarian prime minister continues to block the €90 billion loan to Ukraine.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico say Volodymyr Zelensky is refusing to allow experts to inspect the condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline. According to them, Budapest and Bratislava want to examine the pipeline in order to resume the flow of Russian oil to their countries.
In response, Zelensky said Ukraine must be trusted.