Hungary halts gas supplies to Ukraine until oil transit via Druzhba pipeline gets restored — Orban

The Hungarian side is gradually stopping gas supplies to Ukraine until the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline is resumed, which had previously been damaged by the Russians themselves as a result of attacks on Ukraine.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated this in a video address on Wednesday, March 25, according to Ukrinform.

"I have a cabinet meeting coming up and I have an important proposal. Ukraine has been blocking the Druzhba pipeline for 30 days. So far, we have been successful in defending ourselves against Ukrainian extortion, and thanks to protected prices, Hungarians pay the lowest prices at petrol stations in Europe. But we must move on. New measures are now needed to break the oil blockade and ensure Hungary's energy security. Therefore, gas supplies from Hungary to Ukraine will be gradually stopped, and the gas that remains in Hungary will be stored here," he said.

According to Orban, as long as Ukraine does not supply oil, it will not receive gas through Hungary.

"Since Ukraine is also attacking the southern gas pipeline supplying Hungary, we have to take precautions. Therefore, instead of filling the Ukrainian gas storage tanks, we are now filling up the Hungarian ones," he added.

As reported, the European Union has offered Ukraine assistance and funding to speed up repair work on the Druzhba oil pipeline amid Hungary's uncompromising stance, as it continues to block an EU loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, linking both issues to the restoration of oil transit through Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, confirmed that Ukraine remains a reliable energy partner for the EU and rejected accusations of deliberately obstructing the restoration of oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline.