Hungary relies on continued supplies of Russian oil via the "Druzhba" pipeline, through the territory of Belarus, as there is currently no other transportation route of the required amount of raw materials. This was said by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations of Hungary, Peter Szijjártó, at a press conference after negotiations in Minsk with his Belarusian counterpart Serhiy Aleynik.
Belarus plays an important role in ensuring Hungary's energy security, as 80% of its oil imports come through Belarusian territory. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic receive Russian oil through the southern branch of the "Druzhba" pipeline, which runs from Belarus through the territory of Ukraine. “Last year, 4.5 million tons of oil came to Hungary via this route, and this year it is almost 2 million tons,” said the foreign minister.
"Without the oil pipeline "Druzhba" security of oil supplies to Hungary would be impossible, Szijjártó said. According to him, “now there is no other oil pipeline to Hungary that can transport the same amount of oil”. “Since Croatia increased not the capacity of its pipeline, but the transit fee, we are now dependent on the transit through Belarus,” explained the minister, referring to the Adriatic oil pipeline between Croatia and Hungary, which does not have the same capacity as Druzhba.
Russian oil supplies through the southern branch of the “Druzhba” pipeline. exempt from EU sanctions.