20:47 23.07.2024

Hungary to block EUR 6.5 bln EU defense aid to Kyiv due to Ukraine's sanctions against LUKOIL – FM

2 min read
Hungary to block EUR 6.5 bln EU defense aid to Kyiv due to Ukraine's sanctions against LUKOIL – FM

Hungary, along with Slovakia, has requested consultations in the EU due to Ukraine halting the transit of Russian LUKOIL's oil. Until this issue is resolved, Hungary will block aid to Ukraine under the European Peace Facility, announced Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on ATV television on Tuesday.

"I also made it clear that until this issue is resolved by Ukraine, everyone should forget about paying EUR 6.5 billion as compensation for arms supplies from the European Peace Facility, because how will it look to provide EUR 6.5 billion in support while Ukraine threatens our energy security?" Szijjártó said.

According to him, he presented this position at the recent meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels. The foreign minister said that work is being done with the Hungarian company MOL, which owns refineries in Hungary and Slovakia, to determine the legal and technical solutions to ensure the country's long-term energy supply if the situation remains unresolved.

"I think the situation here is crystal clear, and the European Commission should really pressure Ukraine to allow the supply of LUKOIL's oil again," Szijjártó said.

As reported, Hungary and Slovakia stopped receiving pipeline oil from LUKOIL last week due to a transit ban imposed by Ukraine. Last month, Kyiv tightened sanctions against LUKOIL, effectively banning the transit of oil that reaches Central Europe via the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline. The company is a major supplier of crude oil to Hungary (about a third) and Slovakia (40-45%).

Head of Naftogaz of Ukraine Oleksiy Chernyshov stated on Tuesday that Naftogaz's subsidiary, Ukrtransnafta, continues to transit Russian oil in previous volumes, with LUKOIL's oil being replaced by resources from other owners.

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