(Photo: AFP)BUDAPEST - Kyiv accused Budapest of kidnapping seven of its citizens on Friday, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he would use “every means” to pressure Ukraine in an escalating row over stalled Russian oil supplies. Hungary and Slovakia say Ukraine is deliberately delaying reopening a key oil pipeline pumping Russian oil to the two landlocked EU member states, which Kyiv says was damaged by Russian strikes in January. Ukraine on Friday urged its citizens to avoid travel to Hungary, citing “the inability to guarantee their safety amid the arbitrary actions of the Hungarian authorities”. Threats and accusationsThe nationalist leader has accused Ukraine of holding up Russian oil for political reasons, claiming the Druzhba pipeline has not been damaged in Russia’s Jan 27 attack as Kyiv claims. ‘Hostages’The State Savings Bank of Ukraine, or Oschadbank, said that the bank staff were transporting the cash and gold between Raiffeisen Bank Austria and Oschadbank Ukraine in two vehicles on Thursday.

Source: Bangkok Post March 06, 2026 18:37 UTC