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Breaking: Hungary stopped diesel fuel deliveries to Ukraine
Hungary has suspended diesel fuel deliveries to Ukraine, linking the move directly to the ongoing halt of crude oil transit towards Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline. The announcement was made on Wednesday in Budapest by Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó following a government meeting reviewing the situation.
Diesel shipments tied to oil transit dispute
According to Szijjártó, crude shipments through the pipeline stopped on 27 January and have not resumed despite technical feasibility. He described the suspension as a “political decision” taken by Ukrainian leadership, specifically pointing to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The minister argued that Hungary’s halt of diesel exports was a direct response. Deliveries will not restart, he said, until oil flows towards Hungary are restored. He framed the situation as political pressure intended to influence Budapest’s positions on the war, EU accession prospects for Ukraine, and energy policy.
Hungary still has months of supply left
Despite the disruption, the government insists Hungary’s energy supply remains secure. Szijjártó stated that the country holds strategic reserves sufficient for more than three months, and authorities have already begun decisions on how to utilise part of these stocks.
Hungary has also taken steps to diversify supply routes. Earlier we reported that, together with Slovakia, Budapest informed the European Commission that both countries may rely on an EU provision allowing maritime imports of Russian crude if pipeline deliveries are blocked. Hungarian oil company MOL has already ordered shipments expected to arrive via the Adriatic route by mid-March.
In case you missed it: Hungary seeks Croatia’s help to secure Russian oil supplies while putting the blame on Ukraine.
Slovakia moves in parallel
As PrivátBankár.hu reported, developments in Slovakia mirror Hungary’s response. Prime Minister Robert Fico confirmed that state reserves will release 250,000 tonnes of crude to the refinery Slovnaft after pipeline flows were halted. Slovnaft has also stopped diesel exports to Ukraine and redirected production entirely to the domestic market.
Fico emphasised that Slovakia faces no immediate fuel shortage, noting that reserve supplies should cover the period until alternative tanker shipments reach Europe and are transported inland.
Have you heard? Radical Ukrainian officer targets Hungary: ‘We could be there in 2 minutes’.
Coordinated political stance
Reports indicate that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Fico coordinated the timing of their countries’ export suspensions. The parallel measures underline growing regional tensions over energy transit during the war. Both governments maintain that their actions are merely defensive, rather than escalatory, stressing that national energy security remains intact despite the pipeline disruption.
This could easily backfire! Why? Because Hungary and Slovakia has profited handsomely from the revenue. If someone else delivers, it will be difficult to reverse the situation.
The transportation of Russian crude oil through the Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine has been halted since late last month due to large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Slovakia and Hungary have blamed Ukraine for the halt in oil transportation.
Of course, it’s Ukraine’s fault again because Ukraine don’t capitulate! Same principle as with the EU. Russia is always innocent in Hungary’s eyes. With friends like these, who needs enemies?
Did you think Hungary has no secret services, or what?
The Hungarian agencies KNOW the repairs are complete. The foreign minister said as much.
Furthermore, In case of a vismajor, Hungary is allowed to take Russian oil deliveries through Croatia, ratified by EU law.
So, Ukraine is breaking law, by not reopening the pipeline.
Croatia is breaking the law, by not allowing Hungarian oil from Russia to pass through, despite the EU legislation obliges it.
And the Commie-shion is breaking the law, by not intervening, and enforcing EU law on Croatia.
And you call Hungary, the only party in this conflict, that is not actively breaking EU law at fault? You are insane.
And how did Hungary profit from it? Isn’t Ukraine, and Croatia getting paid transit fees? You make less sense then a schizophrenic drug-junkie.
How do you know that? Are you part of the intelligence service or do you have access to intelligence information? I hope you obtained permission to make this statement beforehand. Or what? Do you have proof or is this just hearsay? Without evidence, it’s worthless.
You haven’t cited any sources! Where can I find this information? Don’t just make empty claims. A discussion without evidence is pointless. I don’t know of any legal basis that states this, so it’s up to you to prove it to me. So, my specific question is, where is this written?
I didn’t write that! Provide proof!! I wrote: Hungary, of course, doesn’t have to abide by EU treaties if it doesn’t suit it… But here, someone is actually adhering to EU treaties, and now the EU is supposed to break the law
Thank you for this civilized tone. It’s a good thing no Ukrainian or the EU wrote this. It’s not about the transit costs, but about the fact that the oil for Ukraine has to be paid for, and not by Hungary itself. Hungary gets the money! I think you’re having some trouble understanding the issue.
As I told you, the foreign minister told it in public broadcast. What do you mean, how did I get the information, that a minister shared publicly? It is literally public.
Oh, I know, you don’t speak Hungarian, so you have no access to Hungarian news. Well, too bad. I won’t translate and subtitle a 30 minute video interview for you.
Hugnary having a right to have Russian oil shipped via sea:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/879/oj
According to Article 3, paragraph 3(d) of Council Regulation (EU) 2022/879, which amended the EU’s oil embargo, landlocked member states like Hungary are permitted to temporarily substitute pipeline deliveries with seaborne imports of Russian crude if pipeline supply is disrupted.
(I quote an AI, because I have no patience reading the legaliese on the regulation.)
That is enough to prove that Croatia and the Commission are breaking the rules here.
Then, did you actually think Ukraine paid for the fuel Hugnary gives them?! Lol, no. That is aid. Humanitarian aid. Hungary gets nothing. The same with electricity, and natural gas.
Ukraine is fucking vermin, that lives on Hungarian aid, and the attacks the very hand that feeds it.
Finally.
We should’ve done it a lot sooner.
And in fact, I dislike, that we waited to have the “We would deliver, but sadly got no oil”. excuse. It takes a lot of potential out of the action.
Now, why do we continue to send electricity and natural gas to these vermin again?
The Slovak government has declared an oil emergency regime due to a lack of oil supplies. The state of emergency will be in effect from February 19 until September 30 this year.
According to documents filed with the government, oil will reach Slovakia via the Adria pipeline starting in Croatia in 20-30 days. In the meantime, the government has decided to release strategic oil reserves at the request of the Slovnaft refinery.
In any case, they are a bit more flexible and will probably accept the Croatian conditions, since they will receive oil via Croatia.
You just proved how clueless you are, Peter,
Hungary transport and refines all “Slovak” oil. Slovakia, gets nothing, except from Hungary, and only end-products.
Sure there is a refinery in Slovakia. Guess who owns Slovneft? Hungary does.
So no, there is no Hungary and Slovakia. There is only the Hungarian Oil Import Corporation (MOL). And there are two governments dependent on it.
Thanks for enlightening me about my ignorance! I’m sure you have considerably more of that quality. It’s fortunate I met such an educated person who also masters street slang in all its nuances and isn’t afraid to use it.
The refinery is located in Slovakia, and that’s all I wrote. You can try to deflect with ownership issues, insults, and transit costs, but that only demonstrates your weak argumentative skills.
Once again, the refined products have to be paid for, because Hungary doesn’t supply them for free, and the money doesn’t come from Hungary.
Thank you for your interesting comment, Dear Peter.
Our Márk is very knowledgeable, and, with your stimulus, I had a good opportunity to gain more from that.
Slovnaft now also has the option of obtaining crude oil from Croatia via the Adria oil pipeline. However, according to the refinery, it will take another 20 to 30 days before this capacity can be fully utilized. The state will now bridge this gap.
Addendum:
Left without supplies through the Druzhba oil pipeline, Slovakia has decided to do what the rest of the European Union wants it to do. Refining company Slovnaft, which has been 100 percent dependent on Russian oil, has ordered seven tankers from Saudi Arabia, Norway, Kazakhstan and Libya, Reuters reported. The crude will be delivered to a Croatian port due to the cessation of pumping via Druzhba, CEO Gabriel Szabo said on Wednesday, and from there via the Adria pipeline.
The purchases will allow the Slovnaft refinery, to restore operations to full capacity from April. Until then, output will be reduced – from the middle of next week, oil will be taken from strategic reserves, which, according to EU regulations, must contain at least 90 days’ worth of raw materials. “There are no risks to security of supply in the short term,” a European Commission spokesman said the day before. The EU is consulting with Ukraine on the timing of the Druzhba repair, he added.
And what about Hungary? Will it remain in Russia’s bed?
The Czech Republic is also ready to help Slovakia by sending a “small volume” of oil via Druzhba in the opposite direction. The pipeline also reaches the Czech Republic, but they stopped receiving Russian crude much earlier. Economy Minister Havlicek said larger shipments would require technical changes, which he discussed with Slovak Prime Minister: “We are ready to immediately start preparing technical and investment measures and ensure [larger] shipments within a year.”
And who helps Hungary? No volunteers in sight!
‘And who helps Hungary?’
XI, Netanyahu, Vucic, Meloni, Putin, Erdogan, and Trump, for starters.
We may not see it, Sehr Geehrte Herr Schmidt, but, help will arrive.
Vučić himself needs help and has nothing to offer Hungary that Hungary could possibly need. Certainly not oil. To Orbán’s disappointment, Meloni has never helped Hungary and won’t in the future, as she herself depends on the EU’s goodwill. Erdoğan is only interested in himself and in establishing a kind of Islamic republic with Erdoğan as a pseudo-Trump. Netanyahu and Putin have other enormous problems and are glad they don’t have to worry about Hungary as well. Trump will only help Orbán if Orbán humiliates himself before him daily, and as we’ve seen, that can change very quickly. So, not too much help! With Xi, Hungary would be jumping from the frying pan into the fire. That’s something one shouldn’t wish on Hungary.
You also seem to speak German. My language skills aren’t sufficient for a conversation in that language. But perhaps you also speak Swahili?
‘And what about Hungary? Will it remain in Russia’s bed?’
Other than to remain in the combined beds of The U.S., China, and Russia, Dear Peter, what is the alternative, for Hungary?
Leave the EU!