"Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Monday doubled down on Hungary's decision to block a new package of European Union sanctions against Russia unless oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline resume. “As long as Ukraine is messing around with us regarding oil supplies, we will block every EU decision in which the Ukrainians have an interest,” he said in a video message ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers. “We won't let this sanctions package pass either until transport toward Hungary resumes on the Friendship oil pipeline, so there will be a big fight today; they will all want our blood, but that's just how it is,” Szijjarto added. The bloc’s foreign ministers are set to meet in Brussels on Monday to discuss what would be the bloc’s 20th sanctions package against Moscow, which they hope to approve around the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on February 24. “There will be a huge fight in Brussels today, because the war fanatics want to push through a few things today that, because of us, will not succeed,” Szijjarto stressed. “This is the case with the war loan, with 90 billion euros. It is obvious that Ukraine cannot access this amount as long as it tries to endanger our fundamental energy supply.” Tensions further escalated following Hungary's announcement that it would stop sending diesel to Ukraine after oil deliveries through the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline stopped on January 27. Kiev blames 'Russian strikes' for the interruption, while Budapest maintains Ukraine can resume flows and is violating its EU Association Agreement. Szijjarto also criticised Brussels for pursuing additional sanctions, calling it 'a stick figure trying to flex its biceps', and warned that Hungary would not back measures it believes threaten its energy stability. EU sanctions require unanimous approval from all 27 member states, giving Hungary significant leverage in negotiations. Since the war began in 2022, most European countries have reduced or ended imports of Russian energy. However, Hungary, along with Slovakia, has maintained Russian oil and gas supplies under a temporary exemption from the EU's embargo."