Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, has refused to back a proposed €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine on Wednesday, telling European Council President António Costa that Budapest will not give its support unless oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline is restored.
Hungary draws a line over energy security
In a sharply worded statement, Orbán insisted there were “no technical obstacles” preventing the resumption of oil deliveries to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline, arguing that the matter required only a political decision from Kyiv.
“As one of the most disciplined and consistent members of the European Council, I fully understand your concerns,” Orbán wrote. “But the situation is absurd — we are being asked to approve a financial decision beneficial to Ukraine, which I personally do not support, while Ukraine simultaneously creates an energy crisis in Hungary. I cannot support any measure advantageous to Ukraine until the situation is normalised.”
Zelensky rejects blame, urges EU to act
The dispute intensified after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the European Parliament that he was not responsible for the suspension of supplies via Druzhba, and urged the EU to approve the €90 billion package — currently blocked by Hungary.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó previously vowed that Budapest would continue to veto the loan as long as Kyiv obstructed the transit of Russian oil through the pipeline. Orbán later signalled that Hungary, following Slovakia’s lead, was also considering suspending electricity exports to Ukraine.
Alternative routes
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on February 23 that Slovakia would halt electricity supplies to Ukraine in response to the disruption of Russian oil transit through Druzhba. Hungary subsequently indicated it could adopt a similar measure.
Fico said he had sought a telephone conversation with Zelensky to discuss restoring oil flows, but was informed that the Ukrainian leader would only be available after February 25. Despite the disruption, Slovak authorities confirmed that domestic fuel supplies remain stable. The government has declared a state of emergency in the oil sector and partially tapped into strategic reserves.
Slovakia’s Ministry of Economy first reported damage to the Druzhba pipeline and the suspension of deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia on February 13. Both Fico and Szijjártó described the halt as a political move by Kyiv. The two countries have also approached Croatia seeking permission to transport Russian oil via the Adria pipeline.
Ukrainian officials have stated that repair work on Druzhba is ongoing around the clock. Kyiv has proposed alternative arrangements, including rerouting oil through Ukraine’s own pipeline system or delivering it by sea. In a letter from Ukraine’s mission to the EU, authorities reiterated their “consistent readiness” to facilitate oil transit within the existing legal framework.
