Vladimir Putin had a telephone call with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on March 3. The Kremlin website states that during the conversation, Putin noted “the principled position of the Hungarian leadership in support of a political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict, as well as the general desire to pursue a balanced and sovereign course in international affairs.”
Initially, the parties discussed the “sharp aggravation of the situation around Iran” and in the Middle East, in particular the possible consequences for the global energy market. Special attention was paid to issues of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Hungary. They also discussed Hungarian citizens mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine who are in Russian captivity.
Amidst this conversation, tensions continue over the Druzhba oil pipeline. On January 27, Russian shelling in Brody, Lviv region, damaged a critical infrastructure facility connected to this pipeline. After the attack, technological processes were stopped, which led to the cessation of the transportation of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia.
On February 12, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Szybiga said that the transit had stopped precisely because of the Russian strike. According to him, Budapest is preparing a complaint about the disruptions, but “Hungary has not expressed any protest to Russia on this matter. They could not even say the word Russia. Double standards in all their glory.
After the oil supply was stopped, the governments of Hungary and Slovakia announced the suspension of diesel fuel exports to Ukraine until the Druzhba pipeline was restored. Kyiv stressed that it had informed Budapest about the shelling and its consequences on January 27, and called the accusations of a transit delay unfounded.
The European Commission said that it supported the restoration of the oil pipeline, but the decision should be made by Ukraine given the risk of repeated attacks.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on February 21 his intention to stop electricity supplies to Ukraine on February 23 if the transit is not restored. A similar statement was made by the Hungarian government.
Later, Fico said that Bratislava had stopped the supply, explaining this by the cessation of oil transit. At the same time, Ukrenergo emphasized that the possible cessation of emergency assistance would not affect the stability of the unified energy system, and no official documents on the termination of the agreements had been received.
Ukraine offered the European Union an alternative route — the Odessa — Brody oil pipeline — to ensure oil supplies to EU countries.
