00:01Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has proposed a fact-finding mission be deployed
00:05to the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline to assess the damage caused last month by
00:10a Russian attack, prompting a suspension at crude deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia.
00:16Orban said in a letter sent to European Council President António Kosta and seen by Euronews
00:22that it's in his country's interest to restore oil transfers as soon as possible.
00:26The Hungarian leader proposed that experts delegated by Hungary and Slovakia accompany
00:31the mission to, quote, verify the status of the pipeline, asserting that Budapest will
00:37accept the findings of such a mission.
00:39The Druzhba pipeline sits at the forefront of sky-high tensions between Hungary and Ukraine,
00:45with Budapest accusing Kiev of politicizing the issue at their detriment.
00:49It also led to Hungary vetoing a 90 billion euro EU assistance loan to Ukraine agreed on
00:55by leaders in December.
00:57Orban admitted that he's aware of the political difficulties his last-minute veto has created
01:02and says his initiative is aimed at reaching a timely resolution to the issue.
01:07The Hungarian premier highlighted the absurdity of the situation, saying he conceded by agreeing
01:13to the loan he personally disapproved of, only for Ukraine to, quote, create an emergency
01:18situation in Hungary.
01:19The tone of the letter is, however, a significant step back from Orban, who has more recently
01:25endorsed incendiary language towards the EU and Kiev.
01:29Just last week, he accused Brussels of colluding with the opposition ahead of the upcoming elections
01:35to remove him and install a pro-Ukraine government in Hungary.
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