Hungary Threatens to Cut Gas to Ukraine Over Russian Oil Pipeline Dispute

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced his country will progressively halt natural gas exports to Ukraine unless Russian oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline are restored. The pipeline has been disrupted for nearly two months due to damage from reported Russian drone strikes on Ukrainian territory.

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced Wednesday that his nation will progressively halt natural gas deliveries to Ukraine unless Russian oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline are restored.

Ukraine relies heavily on Hungarian natural gas imports to meet its energy requirements as the country continues fighting a war with Russia that has now entered its fourth year.

Oil deliveries from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia through the pipeline have been suspended for almost two months following what Ukrainian authorities describe as Russian drone strikes that caused damage to the infrastructure running through Ukrainian land. Ukrainian officials say ongoing attacks put repair crews at risk.

Both Hungary’s and Slovakia’s populist leadership have blamed Ukraine for intentionally blocking Russian oil shipments. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated earlier this month that he has reservations about permitting Russian oil to continue flowing through his nation.

Speaking in a social media video Wednesday, Orbán characterized the oil supply interruption as “Ukrainian blackmail,” stating: “As long as Ukraine does not supply oil, it will not receive gas from Hungary.”

The Hungarian leader indicated his country would redirect the gas to build up its own strategic reserves instead.

Ukrainian officials had not immediately responded to the announcement, and a Hungarian government representative did not reply to Associated Press requests for comment.

Data from Ukrainian energy consulting firm EXPRO shows that Hungary supplied approximately 45% of Ukraine’s total gas imports in the previous year, though this figure declined to 38% by January.

This latest action represents another in a sequence of retaliatory steps Hungary has implemented following the disruption of Russian oil deliveries.

Just last week, Orbán — who is commonly regarded as Russia’s strongest supporter within the European Union — prevented a 90-billion euro ($106 billion) EU financial package for Ukraine due to the oil interruptions and promised to block future pro-Ukraine measures until oil transportation resumes.

The Hungarian prime minister has previously stopped diesel exports to Ukraine and opposed new EU sanctions targeting Russia.

As Orbán prepares for next month’s elections where he confronts an unusually strong center-right challenger, he has intensified his anti-Ukraine rhetoric, labeling the country Hungary’s “enemy” and claiming Zelenskyy is attempting to create an energy crisis to influence the April 12 election.

He has also positioned military personnel at critical energy facilities throughout Hungary, alleging Ukrainian plans to cause disruptions without offering supporting evidence.

Both Hungary and Slovakia currently operate under a temporary EU exemption allowing Russian oil imports, which was granted when Moscow began its military campaign against Ukraine in February 2022.