Hungary and Ukraine Clash Over Oil Supply Halt After Alleged Pipeline Attack

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has accused Ukraine of striking the Druzhba oil pipeline, an incident he said led to the suspension of Russian oil deliveries to Hungary.

Outrageous and Unacceptable

Szijjártó condemned the alleged attack, describing it as an outrageous and unacceptable blow to our energy security. Writing on social media, he did not specify the exact location or timing of the strike.

Citing Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin, Szijjártó said experts were working to restore a damaged transformer station needed to resume operations, though it remains unclear when oil flows will restart.

Pipeline Background and Supply Routes

Hungary receives Russian oil through the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline. Shipments through the northern branch, which supplies Poland and Germany, were halted due to EU sanctions, although Kazakh oil still flows through that section into Europe.

According to Russian government data, Hungary imported 4.78 million tons of oil via the southern Druzhba line in 2024, and 956,000 tons during January–February 2025. Budapest has been described by Moscow as a key partner in energy imports.

Earlier Incidents and Tensions

Last week, Szijjártó claimed that Ukraine struck a Druzhba facility in Russia’s Bryansk region on the night of August 13. At the time, regional governor Alexander Bogomaz confirmed Ukrainian attacks on a fuel facility with HIMARS and drones but did not clarify whether it was part of Druzhba.

Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha responded sharply to Szijjártó’s accusations, writing that Budapest is doing everything to preserve its dependence on Russian energy, and suggested Hungary should address its complaints to Moscow.

Hungary’s Broader Energy Strategy

Despite EU efforts to phase out Russian energy, Hungary has continued to strengthen its ties with Moscow. In July, Szijjártó announced that Budapest, Moscow, and Belgrade were discussing the construction of a new oil pipeline between Hungary and Serbia, expected to be operational by 2027.

While Brussels blocks Russian energy deliveries and cuts routes, we need new sources and new routes, he declared.

Broken Guarantees and European Concerns

Szijjártó has also criticized Brussels for excluding Budapest from talks with Kyiv over future gas transit arrangements. He argued that the EU violated its guarantee of security when the Russia-Ukraine transit contract expired on January 1, leading to a halt in gas flows.

According to Hungarian officials, a second EU guarantee was also broken: the promise that Ukraine would not attack energy infrastructure vital to European supplies.