Hungary to Gradually Halt Gas to Ukraine in Oil Dispute

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced Wednesday that his country will gradually halt natural gas supplies to Ukraine, redirecting the volumes to bolster domestic reserves until Russian crude oil resumes flowing through the Druzhba pipeline. The move escalates a months-long energy dispute between Budapest and Kyiv, centered on the pipeline's suspension since late January.

In a video address posted on social media, Orbán described the oil halt as Ukrainian "blackmail" and stated, "As long as Ukraine does not supply oil, it will not receive gas from Hungary." He framed the decision as essential to securing Hungary's energy needs, adding that the country would use the gas to fill its own storage facilities amid concerns over attacks on energy infrastructure. Hungarian pipeline data indicated gas shipments to Ukraine continued at 8.3 million cubic meters on Wednesday morning, the same as the previous day, suggesting the cutoff would unfold over time.

The conflict stems from damage to the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian oil through Ukrainian territory to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia. Ukrainian officials attribute the disruption, which began after strikes on...