“Lithuania has always advocated for energy security of the entire EU, which is only possible without Russia. We have achieved full energy independence, we know how, and we can help Hungary do the same — if there is such a will, of course,” Budrys wrote on his X social media account.
His remarks came after Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter
Szijjártó lashed out at officials from Ukraine and Poland for criticizing
Budapest’s decision to sanction Robert (Madyar) Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s
Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems Forces, who led drone strikes on the Druzhba oil
pipeline.
Druzhba pipeline strikes
Ukraine’s Defense Forces have attacked the Druzhba pipeline
— which supplies Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary — at least three times: on
Aug. 13, 18, and 22.
Overnight on Aug. 28, Russia lost an additional 4.7% of its
fuel production capacity, according to Brovdi.
Szijjártó claimed the attacks violated Hungary’s sovereignty
and vowed the country would continue to “defend its national interests, energy
security, and independence.”
Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded by
calling Szijjártó’s statement — issued after yet another brutal Russian attack
— “shameless.”
“Placing the pipeline above the lives of Ukrainian children
is a moral collapse,” Sybiha said. “Hungary has found itself on the wrong side
of history.”