Russian oil is dividing Europe again. Ukraine turns off the tap, Hungary blocks EU billions

We will block the PLN 90 billion EU loan for Ukraine until the resumption of crude oil transit to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced on Friday.

“Ukraine is blackmailing Hungary by suspending oil transit in cooperation with Brussels and the Hungarian opposition in order to cause disruptions in supplies in Hungary and raise fuel prices before the elections. By blocking the transit of oil to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline, Ukraine is violating the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and its obligations towards the European Union. We will not succumb to this blackmail,” wrote the head. Hungarian diplomacy.

On February 11, the European Parliament adopted a package of three legal acts that will enable the EU to provide Ukraine with a loan of EUR 90 billion for 2026-27. The next step is the formal approval of the package by member states within the EU Council, which will allow the European Commission to pay the first tranche at the beginning of the second quarter of 2026.

Supplies of Russian oil flowing to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline running through Ukraine were suspended on January 27 after – as reported by the Ukrainian side – a Russian attack on energy infrastructure. In response to the suspension of transit, the Hungarian oil company MOL asked the government on Monday to release strategic reserves of the raw material, and the government asked Croatia to allow the transport of Russian oil via the Adria pipeline. The raw material is to reach Hungary via this route in mid-March.

Hungary and Slovakia also stopped supplying diesel to Ukraine, and Budapest threatened Kiev with a halt to electricity and gas exports.

The operator of the Ukrainian oil pipeline system, Ukrtransnafta, stated on Friday that the Druzhba oil pipeline was seriously damaged and is currently being repaired. The Hungarian side, however, maintains that Kiev is deliberately suspending the resumption of supplies, trying to exert “political blackmail” on Budapest, which – according to Szijjarto – is aimed at ensuring that Hungary meets Kiev's demands regarding “support for the war, enabling the export of Hungarians' money to Ukraine and allowing Ukraine to join the EU.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday that Ukraine is interested in causing chaos in Hungary in order to influence the country's internal policy before the elections scheduled for April 12 this year. The government accuses Kiev of interfering in the electoral process in order to allegedly support the opposition party Tisha, who is accused by Orban's circle of being dependent on Brussels and “pro-Ukrainian”.

Jakub Bawołek from Budapest (PAP)

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