On Wednesday, the European Commission announced that Croatia is evaluating whether it can legally import Russian crude oil through maritime routes to provide supplies to Hungary and Slovakia. This consideration arises following the damage to the Druzhba pipeline, which has been a critical supply route for these two countries since the 1960s. The disruption of the pipeline occurred on January 27, as Ukraine attributed the damage to a Russian drone attack, leading to a reevaluation of alternative oil supply sources for Hungary and Slovakia.

The European Commission's representative indicated that Croatia is looking into the legalities of receiving Russian oil at its ports, taking into account both EU and US sanctions that are currently in place regarding Russian oil imports. Croatia's stance has been somewhat ambiguous, as it has signaled that the local oil company, Adria, could import more oil. However, there is no insistence that the supply must be of Russian origin, pointing towards an exploration of other options.

The Adria pipeline serves as an alternative supply route to Hungary and Slovakia amidst rising geopolitical tensions and ongoing disruptions in oil supply chains. Should Croatia decide to proceed with importing Russian oil, it would have significant implications for regional energy markets and the ongoing EU sanctions framework targeting Russia's energy sector. The situation remains fluid as responses from the Croatian government and other EU member states continue to unfold, with an eye towards maintaining energy security while navigating the complex landscape of international sanctions.