Diplomatic relations between Kiev and Budapest have flared up following allegations of repeated attacks on the Druzhba pipeline — a critical energy lifeline for Europe.
Earlier this week, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukraine of “once again attacking the oil pipeline to Hungary, disrupting vital energy supplies,” calling it a “blatant and unacceptable strike on national energy security.” He stressed that Hungary would not allow itself to be dragged into the Russia-Ukraine conflict, despite ongoing pressure from Brussels and Kiev for more than three years.
Szijjártó also warned that Hungary currently plays an essential role in supplying electricity to Ukraine, which remains heavily impacted by the war.
On social media platform X, the Hungarian minister revealed that Russia is working to restore a key transformer station to resume Druzhba’s operations, but the timeline remains uncertain. He reiterated: “This is not our war, and as long as the current government is in power, Hungary will stay out of it.”
The Druzhba pipeline stretches over 4,000 kilometers, transporting crude oil from Russia and Kazakhstan to several EU nations, including Germany, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. It is considered one of the largest oil networks in the world and a strategic supply source for Budapest, which relies on Russia for more than 80% of its oil imports.
Following a series of similar attacks on Druzhba last week, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sparked controversy by stating that Budapest “could bring Kiev to its knees in a single day by cutting electricity.” However, he emphasized that Hungary has no interest in Ukraine’s collapse, warning that instability near Hungary’s borders could pose significant security and terrorism risks.
In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha argued: “It is Russia, not Ukraine, that started this war and refuses to end it.” He accused Hungary of “clinging to its energy dependence on Moscow despite repeated warnings from the West.”
Notably, Ukraine did not deny responsibility for the attacks. On August 18, a Ukrainian drone unit claimed to have struck an oil pumping station in Russia’s Tambov region, forcing Druzhba offline.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned the attacks, saying they prove “Kiev no longer observes any limits.”
The disruption has not only affected Hungary; Slovakia’s pipeline operator Transpetrol also confirmed a halt in oil supplies, though the exact cause remains unclear.
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