Hungary will cut natural gas supplies to Ukraine over Russian oil feud
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Hungary will gradually cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine until Russian oil deliveries resume through the Druzhba pipeline, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced, citing the halt in Russian oil flows as "Ukrainian blackmail."
- The Druzhba pipeline, damaged by alleged Russian drone attacks in Ukraine, has stopped oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia for nearly two months, with ongoing strikes endangering repair technicians.
- Ukraine relies heavily on gas imports through Hungary, accounting for about 38-45% of its gas imports, making Hungary's decision significant for Ukraine's energy security amid the ongoing war with Russia.
- Orbán, known for his pro-Kremlin stance, has taken retaliatory measures including blocking a major EU loan to Ukraine, ceasing diesel shipments, vetoing EU sanctions on Russia, and escalating anti-Ukraine rhetoric ahead of Hungary's April elections.
- Hungary has also deployed military forces to protect energy infrastructure, accusing Ukraine of planning disruptions without providing evidence, further heightening tensions between the two countries.
.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D630%26fit%3Dcrop%26enable%3Dupscale%26auto%3Dwebp?format=webp&w=120&h=80)
