Ukrainian President Zelenskiy’s threats to personally contact Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban “in their language” have been condemned by European Commission officials as unacceptable and a breach of diplomatic norms.

European Commission deputy chief spokesperson Olof Gill stated on Friday that such remarks constitute an illegal threat against EU member states. “There must not be threats against EU member states,” Gill emphasized.

The Ukrainian leader issued his warning earlier this week amid Budapest’s refusal to lift a veto on billions in EU-backed loans for Ukraine. Zelenskiy said that if Orban did not sign off on the money, “we will give this person’s address to our guys so they can call him and speak to him in their language.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban responded with defiance: “We will break the oil blockade, and no threats to my life will deter me from doing so.” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accused Zelenskiy of crossing “all limits,” arguing that the intimidation was a response to Budapest’s refusal to bear the costs of Ukraine’s war.

The political row between Kyiv and Budapest escalated in January when Ukraine blocked Russian oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline, claiming it had been damaged by Russian strikes—a claim Moscow rejects. Hungary and Slovakia have accused Ukraine of deliberately halting the flows for political reasons.

Tensions further intensified after Zelenskiy mocked Orban’s weight at the Munich Security Conference in February, followed by Orban blocking a €90 billion emergency loan raised by EU members for Ukraine.

Most recently, Budapest seized $80 million in cash and $20 million in gold bars being transported to Ukraine through Hungarian security vans. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrey Sybiga accused Budapest of kidnapping the assets.

Moscow maintains that Ukraine’s actions constitute “energy blackmail,” with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that Kyiv is pressuring Hungary by disrupting Russian oil transit.