Zelenskyy to Orbán: Negotiate an Energy Ceasefire with Putin

Zelenskyy: Russia is Shooting at Repair Crews

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made it clear in a statement on France 24 on February 24 that the restoration of the Druzhba oil pipeline will not happen in the foreseeable future. He said that Russia is constantly destroying energy infrastructure and opening fire on repair crews, so it is pointless to demand the restoration as Ukraine's responsibility.

"This is not their first strike, and they continue to attack the energy sector," Zelenskyy said. The President also called on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to seek a solution with Vladimir Putin: negotiate an energy ceasefire, and not blame Kyiv for the situation.

How Did We Get Here?

The crisis erupted on January 27, when a Russian drone strike damaged equipment on the Brody section of the Druzhba oil pipeline in western Ukraine. Since then, the supply of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia has been suspended. The situation was further exacerbated on February 23, when Ukrainian drones struck the Kalejkino pumping station in Tatarstan, Russia, a key piece of infrastructure for the Druzhba pipeline. The fire was only brought under control after many hours.

According to Euronews, the European Commission has called on Ukraine to speed up repair work, and Croatia has offered the Jadrán–Adria pipeline as an alternative route, but its capacity cannot fully compensate for the loss of Druzhba.

Budapest's Veto and Countermeasures

Viktor Orbán's government responded strongly to the suspension of oil supplies. On February 23, Budapest vetoed the EU's 20th package of sanctions against Russia and blocked the €90 billion loan package intended for Ukraine until oil transit resumes. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that Ukraine is using energy supplies as a political weapon against Hungary.

In addition to the veto, Budapest has suspended diesel fuel exports to Ukraine. However, the European Union circumvented the Hungarian block on the loan package: the member states approved the package without Hungary. Viktor Orbán also convened the Energy Security Council and ordered the strengthening of military protection for critical infrastructure.

Regional Impacts: Slovakia and Emergency Oil Reserves

Both Hungary and Slovakia have mobilized their strategic oil reserves. At MOL's request, Budapest released 250,000 tons of crude oil from state reserves to cover the shortfall. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico issued an ultimatum to Kyiv: if oil supplies do not resume, Bratislava will halt emergency power supplies to Ukraine – which it eventually did.

According to an assessment by EUobserver, the Hungarian-Slovak double front has created unusually sharp tensions within the EU. Several member states' foreign ministers – including the Swedish minister – sharply criticized Budapest, saying that Orbán was "sitting on Ukraine's neck for the sake of his own election campaign."

Electoral Context and the Stakes

Parliamentary elections will be held in Hungary on April 12, and opinion polls show Orbán with a narrower lead, or even trailing, behind the opposition. Several analysts say that the confrontation with Kyiv and the opposition to EU institutions is a deliberate campaign strategy – the energy crisis is therefore not only an economic issue, but also a domestic political one. The battle around the Druzhba oil pipeline is therefore unlikely to end soon.