BUDAPEST, March 25. /TASS/. Hungary is suspending gas supplies to Ukraine until it begins receiving Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, noting that the decision was made at a government meeting.
TASS has compiled the key facts about the escalation in relations between the two countries.
Hungary’s decision
Hungary is suspending gas supplies to Ukraine until it begins receiving Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline. Orban said the decision was made at a government meeting.
Hungary intends to increase its gas reserves using the volumes that will no longer be supplied in transit to Ukraine, seeking to force the country to end the oil blockade, he said.
Orban noted that in recent weeks Ukraine had carried out attacks on infrastructure of the TurkStream gas pipeline on Russian territory, which is used to supply fuel to Hungary.
According to him, since Ukraine is attacking the pipeline supplying Hungary from the south, the country needs to build reserves. Therefore, instead of supplying Kiev, Budapest will now fill Hungarian gas storage facilities, he added.
Orban also said the government had decided to take additional measures against Ukraine to break the oil blockade and ensure Hungary’s energy supply.
Hungary’s gas exports volume to Ukraine
Until recently, Ukraine not only transited Russian gas to Hungary but also received gas from Hungary via a pipeline capable of operating in reverse mode.
According to the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine, in 2025 Ukraine purchased about 46% of all its imported gas from Hungary. These supplies covered 20-30% of its monthly gas needs.
The total volume of natural gas exports from Hungary to Ukraine amounted to about 2.5 bln cubic meters in 2025, increasing fivefold since 2022.
Hungary transited gas through its territory that was supplied from other sources.
Situation around Druzhba pipeline
Russian oil has not been supplied via the Druzhba pipeline to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia since January 27. The Hungarian government believes the pipeline is operational and that Ukraine is not resuming transit for purely political reasons.
As a retaliatory measure, Hungary blocked EU funding for Ukraine. Budapest warned it would not approve a 90 bln euro EU loan for Ukraine and would not support any other Brussels decisions in Ukraine’s favor until transit of Russian oil resumes. This position was presented by Orban at the EU summit on March 19. Hungary is also refusing to approve the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia.
On March 19, the European Commission agreed to send a mission to Ukraine to inspect the oil pipeline, but experts from Hungary and Slovakia were not allowed to participate. However, this new mission was also not granted permission to visit the allegedly damaged section of the pipeline.