BUDAPEST, March 25. /TASS/. Budapest is suspending gas supplies to Kiev until it begins receiving Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline. According to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the decision was made at a government meeting.

"Until Ukraine supplies oil, it will not receive gas from Hungary. We will protect Hungary’s energy security, maintain fixed gasoline prices and reduced gas tariffs," Orban said in a video address broadcast by Hungarian television channels.

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. Earlier, the Hungarian government warned that in response to Ukraine blocking oil supplies via Druzhba, it could halt gas and electricity supplies to Ukraine.

Russian oil has not been supplied to Hungary and Slovakia since January 27. Budapest is confident the pipeline is operational and that Kiev is blocking supplies purely for 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.