FRANCE PERSPECTIVE

Paris reads this as another chapter in the energy war tearing Europe apart. Le Monde places the incident in its "war in Ukraine" live feed, signaling the newsroom views it as an extension of the conflict rather than a Serbian local story. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto denounces a "terrorist attack attempt" that "is part of a series of actions aimed at preventing the delivery of Russian oil and gas to Europe."

But the French press doesn't take the accusation at face value. France 24 gives equal space to Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar, who "suggested the incident could be a false flag operation staged to disrupt the elections." RFI completes the picture by noting Hungary's legislative elections fall on April 12 -- one week later.

France watches with the detachment of a country that diversified long ago. Nuclear power covers 70% of its electricity. But Paris knows Orban's Hungary is the weak link in European unity on Russia, and every incident on a Russian pipeline reinforces France's thesis: Europe must wean itself off Russian gas not for moral reasons, but for strategic survival.

France Info and 20 Minutes stick to dry facts: "backpacks containing explosives," "detonators," discovery at Kanjiza. Caution rules in a case where everyone is lying or might be lying.