ISTANBUL

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Wednesday threatened that Budapest will gradually suspend gas supplies to Ukraine unless the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline is restored.

In a Facebook post, Orban announced that Hungary would begin reducing gas deliveries to Ukraine and instead store remaining volumes domestically, citing concerns over energy security.

“Until Ukraine provides oil, it will not receive gas from Hungary,” Orban said, accusing Kyiv of blocking the operation of the Druzhba pipeline and “attacking” infrastructure supplying Hungary.

He added that Budapest would submit a formal proposal at the next government meeting and emphasized the need to build up national reserves.

Hungary has maintained that it must “break the oil blockade” and secure stable energy supplies while also preserving regulated fuel prices domestically, which Orban said remain among the lowest in Europe.

Ukraine halted deliveries of energy resources via the Druzhba pipeline after strikes, which Kyiv has blamed on Russia.

Hungary and Slovakia, however, have accused Ukraine of intentionally blocking shipments to gain political leverage and have since decided to suspend diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine in response.