Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry is pushing back hard against “ultimatums and blackmail” from two of its European neighbors: Hungary and Slovakia. The dispute centers on a vital energy pipeline and threatens to worsen Ukraine’s already fragile power situation.
Since January 27th, crucial Russian oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia via the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline have stopped. Ukraine states a Russian drone strike damaged pipeline equipment in Western Ukraine. However, both Slovakia and Hungary are pointing fingers at Kyiv, holding Ukraine responsible for the prolonged outage.
In response, leaders from Budapest and Bratislava have issued stern threats. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico declared he would cut off emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine within two days if the oil transit isn’t restarted. Hungary’s Viktor Orban made a similar threat days earlier.
This isn’t just about oil; it’s a tense political clash. Hungary and Slovakia are EU and NATO members, yet their leaders have cultivated warmer ties with Moscow, often diverging from the broader pro-Ukrainian stance in Europe. They are also unique in their continued heavy reliance on Russian oil via this specific pipeline.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry firmly rejected these demands, stating, “Ultimatums should be sent to the Kremlin, and certainly not to Kyiv.” These emergency electricity supplies, coming largely from Hungary and Slovakia, are increasingly vital for Ukraine, whose own energy grid has been severely damaged by ongoing Russian attacks. Ukraine has offered alternative transit routes for the oil while repairs are underway.
Kyiv warns that these actions are “provocative, irresponsible, and threaten the energy security of the entire region.” As Russia continues its drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, the pressure from its neighbors adds another critical layer to Ukraine’s struggle for stability.
