Ruptly
"Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused the European Union of prolonging the Ukraine conflict for 'money' rather than supporting what he described as Budapest and Washington's calls for peace, during a campaign rally in Szekesfehervar on Friday. "[The EU] wants to win, and if we do not pay attention, it will drag us into the war as well. Therefore, the first and most important stake of this election is to renew our 2022 agreement, to establish a great national unity in 2026 against the war," Orban warned. "We will not allow Hungary to be dragged into the war," he asserted. "We who know history well, [...] we also know that war is about money. And the stakes of this election, dear people of Fehervar, are whether we allow ourselves to be robbed." The Prime Minister also reiterated claims that Kiev is seeking to install a pro-Ukrainian government in Budapest, alleging that Ukraine is attempting to influence Hungary's upcoming election by disrupting oil supplies. "This is why Zelensky ended it, the oil pipeline, hoping that if he shuts down the oil pipeline, there will be no fuel in Hungary, leading to economic chaos. [...] The government held responsible. And a pro-Ukrainian government might come, and there will be no need to reopen the Druzhba pipeline," Orban argued. "Ladies and gentlemen, I say with due modesty, the real choice before us is who should form the government, Zelensky or me? Between the two, I believe they would rather choose me," he continued. Orban's Fidesz faces off with challenger Peter Magyar's Tisza on Sunday, April 12 following a campaign that has been dominated by allegations of election meddling. Orban's government accused the EU and Ukraine of repeated interference in an attempt to install a more pro-Brussels and pro-Kiev administration, following rows over energy and funding. Most notably, Hungary and Slovakia accused Ukraine of halting supplies via the Druzhba oil pipeline from Russia for political reasons - while Kiev claimed it was blocked due to 'Russian strikes' - and Orban subsequently blocked the latest 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine from the bloc. Budapest also claimed Kiev tried to funnel millions in cash and gold bars to Tisza after shipments were seized from Ukrainian couriers, which Magyar called a 'smear campaign'. Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky was even accused of threatening Orban's life, after he suggested he would give the PM's 'address' to his armed forces."
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