Russian crude oil deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia through the critical Druzhba pipeline were halted on August 18, 2025. Officials in both nations confirmed the suspension, attributing it to a Ukrainian attack on a transformer station along the pipeline's route.
Hungary's Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, condemned the incident as "outrageous and unacceptable," directly impacting Hungary's energy security. He stated that Russian experts were engaged in repair efforts, but a definitive timeline for the resumption of supplies remained uncertain. In response to the accusations, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiha, did not confirm or deny Ukraine's involvement but advised Hungary to direct its grievances towards Moscow, emphasizing Russia's role in the ongoing conflict and its unreliability as a partner.
The disruption occurs amidst heightened geopolitical tensions and ahead of scheduled meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and European leaders to discuss a potential peace settlement. Hungary, unlike many other European Union member states, has maintained a significant reliance on Russian energy resources following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Druzhba pipeline, constructed in the 1960s, serves as Hungary's primary route for oil imports, fulfilling approximately 65% of its needs. The pipeline, with a capacity of 1.2 to 1.4 million barrels per day, has historically symbolized energy cooperation, but its strategic importance is amplified by current geopolitical dynamics.
This is not the first interruption to the Druzhba pipeline this year; it experienced a temporary suspension in March following a Ukrainian strike on a metering station. The current incident underscores the persistent vulnerability of regional energy supplies and the intricate relationship between geopolitical conflicts and energy security. While the Hungarian oil company MOL has assured that overall regional oil supply remains guaranteed, the situation highlights the challenges faced by nations heavily dependent on Russian energy imports. The European Commission is actively engaged with Hungary and Slovakia, emphasizing the imperative of maintaining energy security and ensuring the consistent reliability of supplies.
The Druzhba pipeline system is one of the world's longest oil pipelines, stretching approximately 4,000 kilometers. It carries oil from Russia through Belarus and Ukraine to various Central European countries, including Hungary and Slovakia. Last year, Russia supplied approximately 95,000 barrels of oil per day to Hungary via this route. The pipeline's southern branch delivers oil to Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.