 "Hungary appeals to Ukraine to spare Russian oil pipelines after drone strike disrupts supply")
Shipments of Russian oil to Hungary were halted on Tuesday after Ukraine launched major drone strikes against Moscow, prompting Hungary to urge Ukraine “not to target the energy infrastructure supplying Hungary,” according to a report.
This comes just months after Budapest reached a favourable agreement with Kyiv, permitting it to continue purchasing fuel supplies despite the ongoing invasion.
According to a Politico report, in a video statement shared online, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced that “oil deliveries via the Druzhba oil pipeline to Hungary had to be temporarily suspended” in the wake of the drone attacks.
“I have just spoken to Russia’s deputy energy minister, who said that a drone hit at a measuring station has made deliveries impossible for the time being, but that repair work is underway and, unless something extraordinary happens, oil deliveries to Hungary could resume in the late afternoon or early evening,” Politico quoted Szijjártó as saying.
Szijjártó urged Ukraine “not to target the energy infrastructure supplying Hungary” as Kyiv seeks to undermine Russia’s military efforts.
On Tuesday, Ukraine’s armed forces reported that they had “hit several strategic facilities of the Russian Federation that are involved in supporting armed aggression against Ukraine.”
Budapest has leveraged a temporary exemption from the European Union’s ban on Russian oil to significantly increase its crude purchases via the overland pipeline network, reaping substantial profits from discounted oil.
In September, Ukraine agreed to allow Hungary to continue buying Russian oil, despite its own sanctions on a key supplier. Under this deal, the fuel is deemed Hungarian as soon as it enters Ukrainian territory, enabling its transit.
Hungary has consistently threatened to veto EU efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy.
Last week, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán blocked a unanimous statement by European leaders supporting Ukraine and imposing tougher sanctions on Moscow.
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