Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has declared that Hungary will stop its diesel supplies to Ukraine. This announcement comes as a response to the cessation of oil deliveries from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, which historically has transported oil through Ukrainian territory. Szijjártó characterized the decision by Ukraine to halt oil transit as political coercion and suggested that it has forced Hungary to reevaluate its energy supply commitments to Ukraine.

The decision to cut off diesel supplies is significant as it not only impacts Hungary's bilateral relations with Ukraine but may also have broader implications for the energy landscape in Eastern Europe amidst ongoing tensions stemming from the war in Ukraine. Hungary has maintained a somewhat ambivalent stance regarding its alliances, balancing its obligations to European Union sanctions against Russia while still relying heavily on Russian energy supplies.

As negotiations between Russia and Ukraine continue, with meetings recently concluded in Geneva and further discussions planned, Hungary’s decision may be interpreted as an attempt to leverage its position in the negotiations or to signal discontent with the current dynamics of energy supply routes. The situation remains fluid, and developments in these negotiations could further shape Hungary's energy policies in the context of the ongoing conflict.