Ukraine offers Hungary compromise on Druzhba oil pipeline
Photo: Andrii Sybiha (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine has proposed several realistic solutions to settle the oil dispute with Hungary and called on Budapest not to use this issue in domestic politics, Politico reports.
Background
Hungary blocked the European Union's €90 billion loan to Ukraine. This refers to financing that was planned to be raised through joint debt guaranteed by the EU budget.
Such a decision requires the unanimous support of all 27 member states, so Budapest's position effectively halted the process.
Subsequently, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that his country would block the loan until Ukraine resumed the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.
Ukraine offers solutions and calls for dialogue
According to the Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha, Kyiv is ready for constructive cooperation and has already offered the Hungarian side several options for resolving the situation.
Foreign Minister says Ukraine is "ready to act constructively" and has already proposed "several doable solutions".
At the same time, he stresses that Ukraine expects a constructive approach from Budapest.
Sybiha expresses doubts about the motives of the Hungarian authorities, suggesting that the issue of relations with Ukraine is being used in the domestic political struggle ahead of the elections.
"We demand Budapest stop dragging Ukraine into Hungary’s domestic politics," the Minister says.
He also notes that Kyiv had repeatedly proposed a direct meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to normalize relations, but, according to him, no response was received.
Sybiha adds that Budapest hasn’t replied, choosing "public ultimatums and blackmail" instead.
Russian oil and damage to Druzhba
Despite Russia's war against Ukraine, Hungary continues to purchase Russian oil and maintains active energy ties with Russia, showing no intention of seeking alternative sources of gas and oil supplies.
Earlier, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Budapest did not plan to abandon Russian oil, explaining this by the alleged greater reliability of such supplies.
Last year, the Foreign Ministers of Hungary and Slovakia also complained to the European Commission about Ukraine's attacks on the Druzhba oil pipeline infrastructure, which is used to supply oil.
The first attack on the pipeline facilities took place on August 13, 2025, and on August 18, the Nikolskoye oil pumping station in the Tambov region of Russia was attacked, causing a fire and a complete shutdown of oil pumping.
At the same time, on February 19, the European Union had not imposed any requirements or deadlines on Ukraine regarding the repair of Druzhba.
