Orban’s energy-focused campaign gambit tensions EU, Kyiv from inside Hungary

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban sent two letters—one to Brussels and one to Kyiv—intended for his domestic audience, demanding a probe of the Druzhba oil pipeline and signaling that Hungary would block Kyiv’s Ukraine loan and EU sanctions if energy security is jeopardized. Analysts say the move is a campaign tactic intended to rally anti-Ukraine sentiment at home and project political desperation, leveraging Hungary’s continued energy ties to Russia as Hungary and Slovakia edge toward the April 2026 elections. The piece frames the escalation as a test of Brussels’ and Kyiv’s ability to avoid further confrontation while preventing Orban from eroding democratic norms to stay in power.