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Hungary and Slovakia announced on Wednesday that they would suspend diesel exports to Ukraine amid growing tensions over oil deliveries, saying they need to secure their energy supplies to replace imports of Russian oil through the damaged Druzhba pipeline – with Hungary also accusing Ukraine of political blackmail and interference.
The row is another showcase of conflicts between the two EU governments, which are still importing large quantities of Russian crude oil via Ukraine, and Kyiv, which has repeatedly called on them to fully decouple themselves from Russian energy.
Oil transfers from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia stopped on 27 January. According to media reports, the pipeline carrying them was damaged by a Russian air strike in Ukrainian territory.
“Diesel fuel deliveries to Ukraine have been halted. And diesel fuel deliveries to Ukraine will not resume until the Ukrainians resume crude oil deliveries via the Druzshba pipeline to Hungary,” said Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.
Both Hungary and Slovakia say they have sufficient fuel reserves, but want to redirect diesel to their internal markets.
Foreign Minister Szijjártó said that Ukraine had sufficient means and time to repair the pipeline, and that not doing so was a political decision.
“The fact that Ukraine will not restart oil transport towards Hungary is a political decision, a political decision made by the Ukrainian president himself,” he added.
In Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government announced a similar response. The state-controlled Slovnaft refinery will suspend diesel exports in order to prioritise domestic supply, and Slovakia has also released 250,000 tonnes of oil from its emergency reserves.
“Slovnaft is stopping the export of diesel to Ukraine and any other exports, and everything it will process now at home in Slovakia will be intended for the Slovak market,” Fico said.
Hungary and Slovakia also called on the European Commission to enable the transport of Russian crude oil through Croatian ports towards Hungary and Croatia. Croatia earlier rejected this request, saying the transfer of Russian oil might violate American sanctions.
The Commission said on Tuesday that Hungary’s and Slovakia’s energy security was not at risk, citing sufficient reserves in both countries.
Ukraine is facing a severe energy crisis after Russian strikes caused extensive damage to infrastructure during winter.
