Hungary and Slovakia announced the suspension of diesel fuel exports to Ukraine amid the suspension of Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline through Ukrainian territory.
On February 18, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that Budapest was suspending diesel supplies to Ukraine and did not plan to resume them until oil pumping to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline was resumed. According to him, the country's energy security is a priority, and the current situation requires immediate solutions.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico confirmed similar measures from Bratislava. He said that the oil refining company Slovnaft is temporarily suspending diesel fuel exports to Ukraine and a number of other countries. The entire volume produced, he said, will be directed to the domestic market of Slovakia.
Fico also suggested that the halt to oil transit could be political in nature. In that case, he noted, Slovakia could reconsider its approaches to supporting Ukraine's European integration and cooperation in the field of electricity supply if the version of political pressure is confirmed.
Earlier, on February 16, Péter Szijjártó reported that Hungary and Slovakia had asked Croatia to provide an alternative supply route through the Adria oil pipeline. At the same time, Croatian Economy Minister Ante Šušnár said that Zagreb does not support increased purchases of Russian oil, stressing that such supplies contribute to financing the war against Ukraine.
According to industry sources, Hungary and Slovakia provide about 9% of Ukrainian diesel fuel imports. In 2025, approximately 629.5 thousand tons of diesel were supplied to Ukraine from these countries. At the same time, experts note that despite the significance of these volumes, they are not critical for the Ukrainian market, since after 2022 Ukraine significantly diversified fuel supply channels.
