Hungary and Slovakia stopped exporting diesel to Ukraine. Diesel exports will not resume until Ukraine resumes oil transit, Budapest and Bratislava say.
Hungary and Slovakia decided to stop the export of diesel fuel to Ukraine until the resumption of oil transit through the Druzhba oil pipeline. This became known on Wednesday, February 18.
“The export of diesel fuel from Hungary to Ukraine has stopped and will not resume until Ukraine resumes oil transit to Hungary,” wrote Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs on the Х social network, the PromPolitInform portal informs.
In his opinion, stopping the transit of oil is “a purely political step,” but in fact “restoring supplies is technically possible.”
Kovacs assured that Hungary has strategic reserves. Also ordered 500 thousand tons of oil in Russia by sea, but its supply requires the consent of Croatia.
In turn, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, also ordered to stop the export of diesel to Ukraine due to the shutdown of the Druzhba pipeline. This is reported by the Slovak government.
Thus, it was decided to release oil reserves in the amount of 250 thousand tons in order to save reserves of petroleum products for domestic use.
“Slovnaft stops exporting diesel fuel to Ukraine and any other exports, and everything it now processes at home in Slovakia will be destined for the Slovak market,” Fico said.
He assured that in Slovakia there is no threat of a shortage of fuel or other petroleum products. Instead, the release of oil from the state reserve will help Slovnaft to survive the period before the oil arrives from Croatia.
As you know, at the end of January, the transportation of Russian oil along Druzhba through Ukraine was stopped after a massive attack by Russia. But Budapest and Bratislava are accused of stopping the transportation of oil to Kyiv.
Hungary and Slovakia then appealed to Croatia to facilitate the transport of oil from Russia bypassing Ukraine using the Adriatic Adria pipeline, as a key route through Ukraine remains blocked.
Croatian Minister of Economy Ante Shushnyar said that Croatia is ready to help with the transit of oil, but not Russian, because it finances the war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
Orban and Fico Photo – Getty Images
