Hungary and Slovakia have been protesting since Ukraine added the Russian oil producer Lukoil to the sanctions list in June. This prevents oil from that company from being transported via Ukrainian territory to Slovak and Hungarian refineries.
Hungary and Slovakia are heavily dependent on oil supplies, as most of their refineries operate with Russian oil delivered through the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary claims that the sanctions Ukraine imposed on Lukoil endanger their national energy security.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has sharply criticized the EU and states that Brussels is complicit in the disruption of oil deliveries. According to Szijjártó, the EU with these sanctions harms not only Hungary's energy supply but also the country's economic stability.
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The European Commission, on the other hand, maintains that the sanctions against Russia are necessary as part of the broader strategy to economically isolate Moscow due to its war against Ukraine. The EU insists that all EU countries, including Hungary and Slovakia, must diversify their energy sources to reduce dependence on Russian energy.
The European Commission emphasizes that the sanctions are intended to punish Russia and not to disadvantage individual member states, but acknowledges the challenges some countries face.
Hungary and Slovakia have repeatedly opposed the hard line Brussels has taken towards Russia and its support for Ukraine within the EU. This controversy over oil imports is just the latest incident in a series of conflicts between Hungary and the EU, with Budapest often directly opposing Brussels regarding the approach to the war in Ukraine and broader EU policy toward Russia.
Hungary has indicated that it is exploring alternatives to resume oil deliveries, but the current stalemate with the European Commission leaves little room for a quick resolution.