Druzhba pipeline deliveries to Hungary could resume on Thursday, government says

Russian oil deliveries to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline could resume on Thursday, but only on a trial basis and in limited volumes. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said this today, according to Reuters. The Druzhba pipeline transports Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary, but repeated Ukrainian drone strikes disrupted these deliveries last week.

"Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin informed me that, after intensive efforts, an interim solution had been found, so deliveries to Hungary could resume on Thursday on a trial basis and at lower volumes," Szijjártó said today.

"We call on Ukraine to stop attacking the pipeline leading to Hungary and threatening our energy security," he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy admitted to reporters on Sunday that Ukrainian drone strikes on the Druzhba pipeline in Russia were linked to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's opposition to Ukraine joining the European Union. Orbán subsequently threatened Kyiv with long-term consequences.

Despite Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, Orbán's government maintains good relations with Moscow and opposes the adoption of further EU sanctions against Russia, as well as Ukraine's possible integration into Western structures.

In response to the Ukrainian attacks on the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary and Slovakia called on the European Commission (EC) to guarantee the security of their energy supplies.