Hungary’s foreign minister has rebuked Poland, as a diplomatic rift emerges between the two nations
A diplomatic feud has erupted between two EU member states over their transparency in relations with Russia.
In a speech in Romania on Sunday Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban slammed Poland’s “two-faced” policies, citing Warsaw’s reported trade with Russia. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski issued a rebuke to Orban, claiming that “unlike” Hungary, Poland does not do business with Moscow. He further suggested that Budapest could leave the EU and NATO if it does not like their policies.
Shortly afterwards, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto took to social media to suggest that Bartoszewski’s reaction shows that “the truth hurts”.
Hungary has “endured the provocations and hypocrisy” of the current Polish government “for a long time” in order to maintain good relationship with its neighbor, said Szijjarto, but now “the glass is full,” he said.
While the current Polish government “judges and accuses” Hungary for importing crude oil from Russia, “if we take a good look at the list of buyers of one of the largest Russian oil companies, we will certainly find the Poles there as well,” the foreign minister stated, without elaborating.
Before the start of the Ukraine conflict, Poland imported crude oil via Russia’s Druzhba pipeline, and through a Baltic Sea terminal in Gdansk. In 2022, the proportion of Russian oil in Poland’s imports amounted to 60%. Last year a contract with state-run Rosneft expired, and a deal with Russia’s fifth largest oil company Tatneft was terminated early.
In 2022 Brussels prohibited the purchase, import or transfer of seaborne crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia to the EU. To ensure their energy security, landlocked Hungary, along with Slovakia, were granted exemptions and allowed to import pipeline oil.
Russia’s oil is “absolutely necessary” for Hungary’s operation, Szijjarto stated.
Hungary has become a vocal opponent of the EU’s policy of providing military aid to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia and has blocked payments to Kiev.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban drew condemnation from EU leaders earlier this month for his “peace mission,” during which he visited Kiev, Moscow, and Beijing in an effort to negotiate a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Monday accused Orban of “egoism” and stated that Hungary’s actions are “causing general irritation” in the EU.
Poland has been among the most vocal supporters of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. It has served as NATO’s primary conduit for weapons, ammunition, and equipment deliveries to Kiev, while maintaining that it is not actually a party to the hostilities.
