No representative from any of the eleven countries stood with our country.
According to the Financial Times, Hungary and Slovakia received exemptions from the EU-wide ban on Russian oil imports following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
However, recent decisions by Kiev to halt the transit of Lukoil products from Russia via the Friendship pipeline could reduce supply, according to the two countries. The pair have appealed to the European Commission dealing with EU trade policy and requested consultations based on the trade agreement with Ukraine.
Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU trade commissioner, however, told the Financial Times that Brussels will need more time to collect evidence and assess the legal situation.
At a meeting of the trade officials of the member states on Wednesday, eleven countries intervened to support their position, and none of them stood with Budapest and Bratislava
– three diplomats told the FT.
According to one of them, the Ukrainian trade agreement included a security clause that could allow for the interruption of supply. The timing of the request is particularly ironic, considering that in recent weeks Viktor Orbán has deeply angered the majority of his EU partners and the Commission by unilaterally lobbying for a peace plan in Ukraine during his visits to Russia and China (BBC).
Kiev insists that the same amount of oil flows through the pipeline due to other Russian companies. Oil from Russia constitutes 35-40% of the input to the only Slovak refinery. Products made from this oil are also exported to Ukraine and the Czech Republic under another exemption provided until December 5. If Slovakia cannot import from Russia, “the impact would be huge” – said a EU diplomat.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini stated that he will be “forced to react” if Ukraine does not change its stance on Lukoil. Pellegrini added that Slovakia is assisting Ukraine with gas reserves and electricity supply. Hungarian spokespeople declined to comment. Lukoil stocks passing through Ukraine account for about 25-30% of the country’s oil imports.
The article was reviewed for mandiner.hu by Central Europe expert, media observer, and market researcher, CEPER.
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