Croatia was ready to supply oil to Hungary instead of Russia, but Budapest refused, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says. The real reason for the refusal is not technical, but financial, as per UkrInform.
On 27 January, Russian forces struck energy infrastructure in Lviv Oblast. According to Zelenskyy, the attack may have damaged a section of the pipeline that carries Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. Hungary blamed Ukraine for the attack ahead of elections.
Russian oil is cheaper than European supplies, creating room for profit. According to Zelenskyy, during a meeting with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, he confirmed readiness to provide the same annual volume of oil that Slovakia and Hungary receive, but Budapest showed no interest.
“That’s because here it’s a European price, and there it’s Russian. That’s all. That is, someone is making money. It’s clear who,” Zelenskyy states.
This is already the fifteenth attack this month
Naftogaz of Ukraine has confirmed the 27 January strike on its facilities but did not specify what was hit, noting only that this was the fifteenth attack this month.
The Ukrainian president separately has drawn attention to the cynicism of the situation: while Ukrainian citizens were injured during restoration work on the Druzhba pipeline after previous damage, there were no calls from Budapest or Bratislava not to strike the facility through which Russia earns money to wage war.
Hungary blocks EU sanctions, but demands the pipeline be restored for Russia
Zelenskyy recalled that Hungary and Slovakia at the same time:
- block a €90 billion European Union loan for Ukraine;
- slow down the adoption of the next EU sanctions package;
- delay the opening of negotiation clusters while simultaneously demanding the fastest possible restoration of the Druzhba pipeline.
This is being done so that Russia can once again receive a stable income from oil exports.
