Szijjártó claimed that Kyiv’s transfer “obviously violates” the EU’s 2014 affiliation settlement with Ukraine. Hungary and Slovakia — additionally suffering from the ban — have now begun talks with the Eu Fee, he added, a precursor to criminal motion.
Ukraine argues it’s merely looking to throttle a key income for Russia’s warfare chest greater than two years after its invasion, with estimates appearing Moscow made $180 billion from its oil exports remaining yr. The rustic’s power ministry declined to remark.
The escalating diplomatic spat comes as ties between Ukraine and Hungary hit rock-bottom, with Kyiv remaining week lashing out at Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán for assembly Russian President Vladimir Putin inside a self-styled “peace venture.”
Ukraine’s transfer has additionally induced a backlash in Slovakia, which is based closely on Moscow for oil as neatly. Even supposing Budapest’s best refiner has already sourced choice provides, the sanctions drew a fierce response from Slovak PM Robert Fico.
“Slovakia does not intend to be a hostage to Ukrainian-Russian members of the family,” he mentioned on Saturday, following a decision with Ukrainian Top Minister Denys Shmyhal. The ban manner the rustic’s central Slovnaft refinery would “obtain 40 p.c much less oil than it wishes,” Fico mentioned, arguing it might additionally cut back Slovak gas exports to Ukraine that make up a tenth of Kyiv’s intake.
Following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU banned imports of Russian oil arriving on the bloc by means of sea, however allowed landlocked nations like Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to proceed purchasing provides by the use of the Russia-to-Europe Druzhba pipeline till they might to find another answer.
