Hungary agrees on supply of crude oil from Russia through Ukraine - Bloomberg
Illustrative photo: Hungary has agreed on the supply of crude oil from Russia through Ukraine (Getty Images)
Hungarian energy company Mol Nyrt. has announced a deal that will ensure the continued supply of Russian oil via the pipeline that passes through Ukraine, Bloomberg informs.
According to the news agency, under the agreement, Mol, which controls refineries in Hungary and Slovakia, will take over the supply of oil at the Belarus-Ukraine border starting from September 9.
It is worth noting that previously the Russian side was responsible for delivering crude oil to facilities in Hungary and Slovakia near the Ukrainian border.
"The new arrangement provides a sustainable solution for crude oil transportation on the Druzhba pipeline," said Gabriel Szabo, Executive Vice President of Refining at Mol.
Mol did not specify which company or companies would handle the supply. Lukoil has not responded to the news agency's inquiry about the oil supply.
Sanctions against Lukoil
In July, Hungary and Slovakia announced the suspension of oil supplies from Lukoil due to Ukrainian sanctions, although Kyiv claims that the volume of oil remains unchanged. Hungary and Slovakia have requested consultations with the European Commission. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized that Ukraine's sanctions do not violate the Association Agreement with the EU and that the reaction is politicized.
Approximately 12-13 million tons of oil transit through Ukraine annually. Of this, around 5 million tons are received by Hungary, which accounts for nearly 70% of its oil imports.
For more details on the situation with oil transit, read RBC-Ukraine's material Tempest in a teapot: Putin and Orbán's staged political play over oil and sanctions.
