Friday, 12 September, 2025
London, UK
Friday, September 12, 2025 10:57 AM
scattered clouds 17.7°C
Condition: Scattered clouds
Humidity: 60%
Wind Speed: 25.9 km/h

Trump ‘very angry’ at Ukraine hitting Russian pipeline feeding Orbán

U.S. President Donald Trump said he got “very angry” after Ukraine damaged a Russian oil pipeline that supplies his friend Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s prime minister.

Trump responded to a note from Orbán, who complained about a Ukrainian drone attack overnight on Aug. 13 hitting the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies Hungary, Slovakia and other countries in Central Europe with Russian oil through Ukrainian territory.

“Viktor — I do not like hearing this. I am very angry about it. Tell Slovakia,” Trump wrote according to a letter published online by Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party. “You are my great friend,” the U.S. president added.

In his note, Orbán wrote that “just before the historic meeting between President Trump and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in Alaska,” Ukraine carried out drone strikes on the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russian territory.

The pipeline, which was restored by Aug. 19, was hit again two days later. 

Notably, both strikes were carried out by the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine, led by Commander Robert Brovdi, who is also commonly known by his call sign “Madyar,” referring to his Hungarian ethnicity. 

Brovdi announced his second strike on Telegram with the Hungarian battle cry, “Ruszkik haza!” The phrase means “Russians go home” — a reference to the slogan of Hungarian freedom fighters who confronted the Soviet army in 1956.

Orbán — who has maintained close ties with the Kremlin even after it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — did not take the message well.

Viktor Orbán did not take the message well. | Olivier Hoslet/EPA

“Hungary supports Ukraine with electricity and petrol, in return they bomb pipeline that supply us. Very unfriendly move,” he wrote in his missive to Trump.

Since Budapest received a temporary exemption from the European Union’s ban on Russian oil, it has increased its purchases of crude via the overland pipeline network, making major profits from discounted crude.

Hungary has repeatedly threatened to veto any EU efforts to further reduce its dependency on Russian energy.

LP Staff Writers

Writers at Lord’s Press come from a range of professional backgrounds, including history, diplomacy, heraldry, and public administration. Many publish anonymously or under initials—a practice that reflects the publication’s long-standing emphasis on discretion and editorial objectivity. While they bring expertise in European nobility, protocol, and archival research, their role is not to opine, but to document. Their focus remains on accuracy, historical integrity, and the preservation of events and individuals whose significance might otherwise go unrecorded.

Categories

Follow

    Newsletter

    Subscribe to receive your complimentary login credentials and unlock full access to all features and stories from Lord’s Press.

    As a journal of record, Lord’s Press remains freely accessible—thanks to the enduring support of our distinguished partners and patrons. Subscribing ensures uninterrupted access to our archives, special reports, and exclusive notices.

    LP is free thanks to our Sponsors

    Privacy Overview

    Privacy & Cookie Notice

    This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and to help us understand how our content is accessed and used. Cookies are small text files stored in your browser that allow us to recognise your device upon return, retain your preferences, and gather anonymised usage statistics to improve site performance.

    Under EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process this data based on your consent. You will be prompted to accept or customise your cookie preferences when you first visit our site.

    You may adjust or withdraw your consent at any time via the cookie settings link in the website footer. For more information on how we handle your data, please refer to our full Privacy Policy