Stephen J. By Bose, Worth News Europe Bureau Chief reporting from Budapest, Hungary
Budapest (meaningful news) – Hungary says it has sent troops to protect its section of a natural gas pipeline, after the government accused Ukraine of attempting sabotage ahead of the arrival of US Vice President JD Vance in Budapest on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban, seen as the EU’s most pro-Russian leader, visited the pipeline near the Serbian border on Monday, rejecting allegations that the incident could be part of a “false flag operation” aimed at influencing the outcome of the April 12 election.
Serbian authorities said Sunday that they found two backpacks containing about 4 kilograms (about 8.8 pounds) of plastic explosives, along with detonator caps, detonating cord and tools used to assemble an explosive device near the village of Velebit in northern Serbia, close to Hungary.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said army and police units found explosives near a gas pipeline leading to Hungary, “a few hundred meters” from infrastructure in the town of Kanjiža.
The pipeline is part of the TurkStream system, whose Balkan extension transports Russian natural gas from Serbia to Hungary.
Pipeline Threat, Safety Response
Vucic said he had informed Orbán “about the preliminary results of the investigation into the threat to critical gas infrastructure by our military and police authorities.”
He said the explosives “could have endangered the lives of many people” and caused significant damage to the pipeline. Serbia, an EU candidate country, relies heavily on Russian gas, importing about six million cubic meters per day at about half the market price.
No details were given about possible motives, although Vucic said there were “some traces” that he could not yet disclose. “Our intelligence services did a good job,” he said.
Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjártó suggested that the alleged conspiracy described a pattern of Ukrainian actions against energy infrastructure.
He claimed that Ukraine had previously targeted pipelines and disrupted energy supplies affecting Hungary and Slovakia, including the Druzhba (“Friendship”) oil pipeline.
Claims and counterclaims
Szijjarto also alleged that Ukrainian drones on Russian territory recently targeted the TurkStream pipeline and that a suspected sabotage attempt in Serbia’s Vojvodina region was part of the same pattern.
Ukraine has rejected such allegations in similar cases in the past, and no independent evidence has been presented linking Kyiv to the incident.
The Hungarian opposition immediately expressed skepticism, suggesting that Orban was seeking to emphasize the security threats associated with the war in Ukraine to shore up support ahead of the election.
Opposition leader Peter Magyar, a former senior member of the ruling Fidesz party, said Orbán’s comments were “nothing more than the cheap theater of a fearful regime.”
He said in a comment widely shared on social media that a background poster reading “Comrades, it’s over” during Orbán’s appearance was a “coincidence”.
pressure for elections
Surveys indicate a close contest. A poll by 21 Research Center showed that Magyar’s centre-right Tisza party has the support of 56 percent of decisive voters, while Orbán’s Fidesz has the support of 37 percent of voters. Other surveys show different but equally competitive figures.
Attention now turns to a visit by US Vice President JD Vance, who insiders say is on a mission to “save Orbán” amid dramatic approval ratings for the Hungarian leader.
Vance is expected to address thousands of people at a Budapest sports complex on Tuesday for what organizers are calling “Hungarian-American Friendship Day,” although critics see it as a campaign-style rally.
US President Donald J. Trump had previously endorsed Orbán, calling him a “strong and powerful leader” and a key conservative ally.
The visit comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions, including concerns over escalating tensions in Ukraine and the Middle East. “I’m looking forward
To meet his good friend Victor. And you know we’ll obviously be talking about a lot of things related to U.S.-Hungary relations. I’m sure Europe, Ukraine and all those other things will figure prominently,” Vance told reporters moments before departing from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Some analysts say the visit underscores Hungary’s importance to conservative political movements.
Global attention to Hungary
“Hungary is their El Dorado,” said Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of The National Interest, a Washington-based publication focused on international affairs and U.S. strategy. “Vance has always been attracted to Hungary for political and religious reasons,” he said.
Orbán has been praised by people such as Steve Bannon, former chief strategist to US President Trump, who described him as “the Trump before Trump”.
Kevin Roberts, head of the conservative The Heritage Foundation, which produced “Project 2025”, a policy blueprint backed by Trump allies with some proposals that overlap with the president’s policies, has praised Hungary as a model for conservative governance.
Heilbrunn suggested that the trip may also reflect concerns within American political circles about the election outcome. “Trump doesn’t like to be associated with a loser,” he said, adding that sending Vance could pose a political risk if Orbán fails to win.
Uncertainty over the pipeline incident has raised tensions in Hungary, with some opposition figures warning, without offering evidence, that the situation could be used to influence or delay the April 12 vote.
Orban is under investigation
The development comes as Hungary prepares for what observers have described as one of the most important EU elections and one of the most consequential votes in the country’s recent history.
Orban, who has ruled Hungary continuously since returning to power in 2010 – following a first term as prime minister – has been criticized by the European Union over corruption concerns and what it sees as rule-of-law violations.
However, supporters see him as a Christian leader who has taken tough stances on issues such as immigration and opposed what he describes as LGBTQ+ ideology.
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