Dispute over blocked Druzhba pipeline
The southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline, which until recently supplied Slovakia and Hungary with Russian oil, has been damaged since the end of January. According to reports from Kyiv, the installation on Ukrainian territory was targeted by Russian attacks. Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused the Ukrainian government of deliberately delaying deliveries. For its part Hungary is again threatening to veto aid that has already been approved to Ukraine.
Secret deals among leaders
Slovakia and Hungary's self-inflicted dependence on Russian oil is deliberate, LB.ua explains:
“The governments of both countries have done virtually nothing to find alternative suppliers and transport routes. Neither the Hungarian nor the Slovak government have taken steps to modernise their oil refineries so that they can process oil from non-Russian sources. The reasoning behind their approach is straightforward. Russia offers both countries significant discounts on oil - up to a third of the cost. The exact prices are carefully kept secret by all parties involved, as are the promises made by the Hungarian and Slovakian leaders to the Kremlin in return for these discounts.”
Hungary dependent on its neighbours
Hungary is now paying the price for alienating its neighbours, journalist István Marnitz writes in Népszava:
“The Croatians - with Washington's blessing - are not letting any oil into our only replacement pipeline, and the EU leadership is making no move to help us out of this mess - perhaps because of the insults we've been hurling at them for decades. Maybe it's time to sit back and think. ... I understand that Orbán sees Hungary's future as that of a European exclave of a future American-Russian-Chinese anti-liberal alliance. But even if this were to actually come about, the question remains as to what happens until then. Because we are still surrounded by the countries that surround us. And that won't change.”
Fico shameless and immoral
Sme criticises the Slovakian prime minister's attitude towards Ukraine:
“Fico is fully aware of all the facts. His argument that Slovakia is 'a proud and sovereign nation' and that he himself is 'a proud and sovereign Slovak' doesn't hold water here. This is neither sovereign, nor proud, nor national. Proud and sovereign people help the weak, they don't provoke them in difficult times, they work together against attackers and understand who is the victim and who is the aggressor. Fico's behaviour is simply shameless and immoral. He behaves like a gangster not only in domestic politics but also in foreign policy. It's regrettable that Fico is conveying such an image of Slovakia abroad.”
Fico bet on the wrong horse
Slovakia has only itself to blame for its problems, comments Denník N:
“Dependence on Russian oil at a time when it is attacking Ukraine is not only immoral, but also impractical and risky due to the possibility of attacks. ... Prime Minister Fico has now claimed that Slovakia has intelligence data indicating that the damaged oil hub near the Ukrainian city of Brody has already been repaired and that oil can flow unhindered. ... He made no mention whatsoever of the fact that the cause was a Russian attack. ... Energy blackmail is one of the pillars of Russian geopolitics and the reason why many countries have diversified their raw materials sources. Slovakia is clearly lagging behind in this regard, partly for political reasons.”
The EU stands by Ukraine
Brussels is unlikely to put pressure on Kyiv, wPolityce.pl predicts:
“Given that the Ukrainians definitively stopped gas transit on 31 December 2024, it was to be expected that sooner or later they would also block oil transit. ... The EU wants to finally stop importing energy from Russia next year. There are many indications that even if the Hungarian and Slovakian authorities challenge the regulations on this matter before the European Court of Justice it will do little to change this. It is to be expected that now, as when Kyiv ended Russian gas transit, the European Commission will not exert any pressure on Ukraine to restore oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline.”