kravietz 🦇

Why on Earth is #EuropeanUnion going to pay to repair a pumping station destroyed by #Russia missiles - about which they happily boasted on 27 January - while the leader of #Hungary, the country allegedly most affected by stopped oil transfer, hugs with Putin on monthly basis and never uttered a word of condemnation for that attack? 🤔

Ursula von der Leyen today:

Following the renewed Russian strikes on January 27 on the Druzhba pipeline, leading to the interruption of crude oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, we have engaged in intense discussions with Member States and Ukraine at all levels to restore the flow of oil to Hungary and Slovakia.

The EU has offered Ukraine technical support and funding. The Ukrainians have welcomed and accepted this offer.

European experts are available immediately. Our priority is to ensure energy security for all European citizens. In this sense, we will continue to work with the concerned parties on alternative routes for the transit of non-Russian crude oil to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

P.S. Brody could be in theory used to deliver oil from #Ukraine Odesa - I’m referring to the “non-Russian crude oil” part of von der Leyen statement, but it makes little sense, because Russia is attacking that port on regular basis and it’s closer to deliver non-Russian oil through #Croatia, who already said it’s ready to supply Hungary.

Source: https://xcancel.com/vonderleyen/status/2033857666250854887?s=20

Mar 17 at 8:53pmWeb
Show threadMartin Cigan5d ago
@kravietz This is also consequence of Polish policies.
Show threadhajovonta4d ago

@kravietz
I think the EU is betting on Orban leaving power soon, and the game is about unblocking the 90bn loan which is used by Orban to blackmail them.

It is interesting because Orban refused any alternatives to Russian oil, just like Transnistria did, which may indicate that in fact the Hungarian policies are directed by Russians to a larger extent than previously thought.

Show threadJocke4d ago
@kravietz I think the answer to why is because it exposes Orban's bluff. It was never about the oil. It was about following Putin's orders.
Show threadHelgi Crookehorne4d ago
@kravietz so far the impression is, those guys in the EU or US care more about Arabs or their oil than Ukrainians who never had much of it. So a typical case for Violent Speech
Show threadOy4d ago
@kravietz perhaps, to demonstrate that EU cares about its members problems and to be able officially inspect the pipeline and document the damage, because Hungary and Slovakia doesn’t believe Ukraine alone. Ofc there is no guarantee this pipeline will not be damaged by Russia again after repair.
Show threadDjembro, RO, supports 🇺🇦🇬🇪4d ago

@kravietz

I would guess the Hungarian opposition is keen on not having energy be an issue that strengthens Orbán. I think von der Leyen is doing the right thing.

EU didn’t want to interfere in the Hungarian election by invoking Article 7 against Hungary. But now I think it’s more a case of not wanting to harm the opposition, because addressing the pipeline issue necessarily impacts the election.

I don’t know how the 6-week time frame is going to play out for the pipeline repair. It’ll be after the election, so not really something that Orbán can crow about?

The other issue, of course, is Ukraine’s financial peril. It seems the IMF loan isn’t as done a deal as we thought.

I hope von der Leyen writes a memoir about her tenure as European Commission president.
#HerdingCats

Show threadkravietz 🦇4d ago

@djembro

Ukraine said repair will take 1.5 months, so it will be after April elections, but at the same time it seems to demonstrate 1) Ukraine’s readiness to cooperate with Hungary (but not Orban), 2) EU support for both Ukraine and Hungary (but not Orban). Maybe that’s how they plan to resolve this.

And Orban still didn’t utter a word of criticism of his Moscow friend for actually bombing the pipeline… 🤦