Hungary stopped diesel deliveries to Ukraine in retaliation after the Drujba pipeline was blocked
Hungary announced on Wednesday the suspension of diesel deliveries to Ukraine, in retaliation after the blocking of the Drujba pipeline, through which Russian oil is delivered to Hungary and Slovakia, countries that are now forced to resort to their strategic oil reserves.
Hungary stopped diesel deliveries to Ukraine in retaliation after the Drujba pipeline was blocked
According to Kiev's version, the Drujba pipeline was damaged by a Russian attack last month. But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico say repairs are complete, but Ukraine keeps the pipeline blocked in an act of “political blackmail” against Budapest, as Orban refuses to support it in the war with Russia and opposes a future accession of Ukraine to the EU.
“Ukraine is blackmailing Hungary, they stopped the flow of oil through the Drujba pipeline, we have to release from the strategic reserves“, Orban announced on Facebook on Wednesday, writes Agerpres.
His foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, announced for his part that Hungary has suspended diesel deliveries to Ukraine, deliveries that will only be resumed if the latter unblocks the Drujba pipeline, which he said was stopped “following a political decision taken by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy”.
According to some Hungarian media sources, about 6% of the diesel fuel consumed by Ukraine comes from Hungary.
And Slovakia announced that it is forced to call on strategic oil reserves following the stoppage of the flow through the Drujba pipeline. The government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico approved the release of approximately half of the strategic reserves and making them available to the petrochemical company Slovnaft, owned by the Hungarian company MOL, in order to maintain the supply of the local market, while stopping exports to Ukraine and other countries.
Hungary and Slovakia have oil stocks that ensure their consumption for about three months.
On Monday, Croatia rejected requests by Hungary and Slovakia to intercept Russian oil shipments through its Adria pipeline, but offered help from its country for oil deliveries from other sources.
The Croatian Minister of Economy stated that the Adria pipeline is ready, but that there are no technical excuses for an EU country to remain dependent on Russian oil.
