The Hungarian energy company Mol Nyrt has signed an agreement to ensure the uninterrupted supply of Russian oil through a pipeline passing through Ukraine.
This comes after Ukraine responded to the invasion by banning Russia’s Lukoil from using its territory for transit. According to the new agreement, Mol, which owns refineries in Hungary and Slovakia, started delivering oil at the Belarus-Ukraine border starting September 9.
Previously, oil supplies to Ukraine’s borders with Hungary and Slovakia were managed by Russia.
Mol Executive Vice President Gabriel Szabo said the agreement offers a “sustainable solution for the transportation of crude oil through the Druzhba pipeline, which connects Russia and Hungary via Ukraine, although he did not specify which companies would be involved in the supply.
Landlocked Hungary and Slovakia have been granted temporary exemptions from EU energy sanctions against Russia. Since Ukraine tightened restrictions on Lukoil in July, other producers, including Tatneft, have been supplying crude oil to these countries.
However, this agreement underscores the need to increase sanctions pressure on Russia due to its ongoing war against Ukraine. Continued reliance on Russian energy weakens international efforts to hold Russia accountable for its aggression and diminishes the effectiveness of sanctions designed to curb its war efforts. Strengthening sanctions is critical to limiting Russia’s ability to finance the war.
