Hungary, alongside neighboring Slovakia, has accused Kyiv of deliberately delaying the reopening of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which transports Russian oil to both countries that lack direct access to the sea. Ukraine asserts that the pipeline was damaged during Russian strikes in January. To address this issue, Hungary's Minister of Energy Gabor Czepek announced that a delegation would be engaging in talks aimed at reopening the pipeline, underscoring the urgency of this matter for Hungary's energy interests.

The delegation, which includes representatives from Slovakia, aims to engage in critical dialogue regarding the pipeline's status. Czepek emphasized that the objective of this mission is to firmly defend Hungary's interests at the negotiation table and to ensure that the Druzhba pipeline is reopened as soon as possible. As part of their approach, the group has been tasked with conducting a fact-finding mission to assess the state of the pipeline and create necessary conditions for its restoration.

However, Kyiv has reported awareness of the Hungarian group's crossing into its territory but stressed that there were no scheduled negotiations with Ukrainian officials. They highlighted that this group does not possess any official status or planned official meetings, signaling Ukraine's stance against engaging in talks with representatives lacking authorization. This development reflects ongoing tensions and the complexities surrounding energy dialogues between these nations amid broader regional conflicts.