Hungary officially appealed to Croatia, asking to allow Russian oil deliveries through the Adriatic route. The reason is the suspension of transit through Ukraine.
Details
Hungary officially appealed to the Croatian government regarding the transportation of Russian oil. Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Slovakia’s Economy Minister Denisa Saková jointly submitted the request to the Croatian government in Zagreb.
In the statement, Hungary and Slovakia asked Croatia to ensure the transit of Russian oil through the Adriatic pipeline. They stressed that their sanctions exemption allows them to import Russian oil by sea in the event of disruptions to pipeline supplies. The ministers noted that energy security issues should not become the subject of ideological disputes.
Croatia’s Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar said the country is ready to help resolve the problem. They will take actions as far as European Union legislation and US sanctions allow.
“No one should be left without fuel,” Šušnjar wrote.
In his post, he also emphasized that Croatia is making this decision while keeping in mind respect for “Ukrainian allies and the daily suffering they endure.”
Why Hungary Wants to Change the Oil Route
Transit through the Druzhba pipeline, which runs across Ukrainian territory, stopped in late January. The reason was large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. For Hungary, the blocked route is a key source of oil supply. The country has no access to the sea.
Transit through Druzhba stopped in late January. After that, Budapest accused Ukraine of preventing the resumption of Russian oil supplies to Hungary for political reasons. Péter Szijjártó claimed there were no technical obstacles to restoring supplies.
“The aim is clear: to put the Hungarian government in a difficult position by jeopardizing our energy security ahead of the upcoming elections. We say no to being dragged into the war, no to sending our money to Ukraine, and no to Ukraine’s EU membership,” the Hungarian politician wrote.
Ukraine Responds
Ukraine rejected Hungary’s accusations. In a comment, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry stated that Ukraine has never conducted and will never conduct any such campaigns against partners, including neighboring Hungary. Ukraine also stressed that it has no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.
“Nothing discredits Hungarian officials more than their own actions. As noted during the meeting, such actions may serve only the interests of the Russian Federation, which seeks to sow discord,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that long-range strikes by Ukraine’s Defense Forces on Russian territory led to a significant reduction in oil refining volumes in Russia — by 19%.
