UPDATE - Hungary bans Ukrainian commander after strike on Druzhba oil pipeline

UPDATES WITH STATEMENTS BY UKRAINE; ADDS ADDITIONAL DECK

By Necva Tastan Sevinc and Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) -Hungary announced Thursday that it has banned the commander of a Ukrainian military unit from entering the country and the entire Schengen Area, accusing Kyiv of striking the Druzhba oil pipeline.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the decision was made after what he described as a serious attack on Hungary’s sovereignty and energy security.

“In response to the latest Ukrainian strike against the Druzhba oil pipeline, the Hungarian government has decided to ban the commander of the military unit responsible from entering Hungary and the entire Schengen Area,” Szijjarto said through the US social media company X.

He stressed that the attack put Hungary’s energy supply at risk.

“This was an attack on Hungary’s sovereignty, endangering our energy security and nearly forcing the use of our strategic reserves,” he said.

He underlined the strategic importance of the pipeline, which delivers oil from Russia to Central Europe through Ukraine.

“Ukraine knows very well that the Druzhba pipeline is vital for Hungary’s and Slovakia’s energy supply, and that such strikes harm us far more than Russia,” he said.

"Anyone who attacks our energy security and sovereignty must expect consequences,” he added.

In an initial response to Szijjarto, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused his Hungarian counterpart of "moral decay" in a statement on X, claiming Hungary is "on the wrong side of history" and warning about "mirror action."

Some hours later, Sybiha announced that Hungary's ambassador to Kyiv was summoned to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, where he said a note of protest was conveyed.

“He (the ambassador) was given a protest note in response to Hungary's discrimination against the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, particularly our Hungarian-descent defender who was banned from entering the country of his ancestors,” Sybiha wrote.

“We urge Hungary to further refrain from unfriendly actions and instead engage in constructive dialogue, for which Ukraine remains ready,” he added.

The Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline is one of the longest oil pipeline networks in the world, supplying Russian crude to several European countries, including Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.