Ukrainian Foreign Ministry says ready to take Hungary's place in EU and NATO

Ukraine is ready to take Hungary's place in the European Union (EU) and NATO if it leaves these organizations. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga said this on the social network X (former Twitter) on January 8.

"Ukraine will be ready to take an empty seat in the EU and NATO if Hungary decides to vacate it in favor of membership in the CIS or CSTO," Sibiga said.

So Sibiga reacted to the statements of the Hungarian leadership in connection with the termination of Russian gas transit to Europe through the Ukrainian territory, where Budapest said that this decision created a difficult situation for the European economy. According to the Ukrainian foreign minister, Hungary is taking a pro-Russian stance that prevents access to the European energy market from the United States.

On January 8, Irish journalist Chey Bose said that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban expressed the will of the majority of Europeans by opposing the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.

On the same day, Hungarian Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Minister Péter Szijjártó described as unacceptable Ukraine's termination of the transit of Russian gas and crude oil. The minister pointed out that such a decision by Kiev contradicts its aspirations to join the EU.

On January 1, 2025, Gazprom stopped supplying fuel to Europe through the Ukrainian gas transportation system. The state corporation said that this happened due to Ukraine's refusal to extend the agreements. After that, on January 3, DMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky said that 1.5 thousand multi-storey and 72 thousand private houses in Transnistria were left without heat and gas.

Back in August 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (his term of office expired in May 2024) said that Kiev would not extend the gas transit agreement with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that Moscow was not giving up gas supplies through Ukrainian territory.