Hungary’s foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, has accused the European Commission of orchestrating a disruption in Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia. Szijjarto claims that the Commission’s refusal to mediate between the two countries and Ukraine over sanctions placed on Russian oil producer Lukoil is evidence of Brussels’ involvement in the stoppage.
The dispute began in June when Ukraine placed Lukoil on its sanctions list, preventing the company’s oil from being transported through Ukrainian territory to Slovak and Hungarian refineries. Both countries have protested this move, claiming it jeopardizes their energy security.
Szijjarto made his accusations without providing evidence, stating at a conservative political festival that the Commission’s inaction suggests a deliberate attempt to cause energy problems for Hungary and Slovakia. He claims that Brussels ordered Kyiv to block Lukoil’s oil flow.
However, the European Commission maintains that there is no indication that Ukraine’s sanctions have endangered European energy supplies. A Commission spokesperson stated that Russian oil continues to flow through the separate Druzhba pipeline, which also connects Russia to Slovakia and Hungary via Ukraine.
The Commission has declined to comment directly on Szijjarto’s accusations. Last month, he accused the Commission of blackmail in the oil dispute, suggesting that Brussels was behind the entire situation. The Commission did not respond directly to that accusation but said it was gathering information on the situation.
This latest dispute highlights the growing tensions between Hungary and Slovakia, who have opposed Western allies’ military aid to Ukraine, and other EU members working to reduce their reliance on Russian energy. While the Druzhba oil pipeline continues to operate, the EU is actively working to diversify its energy sources and reduce dependence on Russia.
Hungary’s oil company MOL is in the final stages of discussions to establish a scheme to ensure crude oil flows from Russia, according to a Hungarian government official. This initiative seeks to secure Hungary’s energy supply amidst the ongoing dispute with Ukraine and the Commission.
