Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's refusal to restore oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline continues to threaten Hungary's energy security.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing foreign media outlets, that the Prime Minister emphasized the necessity for an immediate resumption of oil deliveries.
"We know that the pipeline is in working order. We also know that oil supplies to Hungary have not been restored due to Zelenskyy's political decision. Zelenskyy claims, bypassing Brussels, that restoring the pipeline's operation is impossible," Orban noted.
The Hungarian Prime Minister further added that the Ukrainian President is expected to fulfill his obligations to the European Union and its member states by restoring the pipeline's functionality. Orban announced that he will hold discussions regarding this matter today with his Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico. Notably, Robert Fico announced on February 24 that Slovakia had suspended emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine due to the ongoing disruptions in oil transit.
The Druzhba pipeline, one of the world's longest oil pipeline networks, serves as a critical energy artery for several Central European nations, including Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Since the escalation of regional tensions, the security of energy transit through Ukraine has become a focal point of diplomatic friction within the European Union. Hungary, which remains heavily reliant on Russian crude delivered via this route, has consistently advocated for the exemption of pipeline oil from broader regional sanctions to maintain its domestic industrial stability and energy affordability.
