Hungary and Slovakia have stopped supplying diesel fuel to Ukraine, linking this decision to the suspension of Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline. Budapest and Bratislava have stated that exports can only resume once transit is restored, effectively issuing Ukraine with an energy ultimatum.
The decision was announced by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó after a government meeting on February 18, Index reports.
According to him, Ukraine has not resumed oil transportation via the Druzhba pipeline since January 27, despite the absence of technical obstacles. In turn, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhyi said that Budapest had received information about the Russian shelling of this pipeline on January 27, so he called Kyiv’s accusations of delays in supplies illogical.
According to Index, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, reporting to the government on the oil supply situation, said that transportation had not yet been resumed “by decision of Ukraine” and called it “a purely political decision.”
“We are suspending diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine, and they will not resume until oil starts flowing again through the Druzhba pipeline. We will stop there,” Szijjártó said.
At the same time, the Hungarian authorities note that strategic oil reserves are calculated for approximately 96 days, so they do not see any short-term risks for the domestic market.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also said that Slovnaft is halting diesel fuel exports to Ukraine and any other exports in order to preserve oil product reserves for domestic use.
“Slovnaft is stopping diesel fuel exports to Ukraine and any other exports, and everything it now refines at home in Slovakia will be destined for the Slovak market,” he said.
According to Fico, the government has decided to release 250,000 tons of oil after supplies through Druzhba were halted due to Russian attacks. He assured that there is no shortage of fuel or other petroleum products in Slovakia, and that the use of state reserves will help Slovnaft survive the period until oil arrives from Croatia.