Attempts by Hungary and Slovakia to involve the EU in their latest dispute with Ukraine have failed. The European Commission refused to support their request to call on Kyiv to lift the recent sanctions against the russian oil company Lukoil, the Financial Times writes.
Hungary and Slovakia were granted exemptions from a European-wide ban on russian oil imports after russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, Kyiv's recent decision to stop the transit of Lukoil oil products through the Druzhba oil pipeline may reduce supplies, according to those countries.
Therefore, they turned to the European Commission, which is responsible for EU trade policy, with a request to start consultations within the framework of a trade agreement with Ukraine. However, EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told the Financial Times that Brussels needed more time to gather evidence and assess the legal situation.
According to three diplomats, at yesterday's meeting of trade representatives of EU member states, 11 states supported Dombrovskis' position, none of them supported Hungary and Slovakia.
One of the diplomats noted that the trade agreement with Ukraine contains a provision on security, which may allow interruption of supplies.
"The timing of the address is particularly ironic given that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has deeply irritated most of his EU partners and the European Commission in recent weeks by unilaterally lobbying for a peace plan for Ukraine during visits to russia and China without the approval of Brussels," FT journalists emphasized.
In addition, Ukraine notes that the same amount of oil flows through the pipeline as before, with the help of other russian companies.
The Financial Times added that russian oil makes up 35-40% of raw materials at Slovakia's only oil refinery, and products made from this oil are also exported to Ukraine and the Czech Republic, and from there to other Central European countries. Because of this, the EU diplomat emphasized that if Slovakia cannot import from russia, "the consequences will be enormous."
In turn, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said that he would be "forced to react" if Ukraine did not change its position on Lukoil. According to him, Slovakia helps Ukraine with gas reserves and electricity supply. At the same time, representatives of Hungary refused to comment on this situation.
It will be recalled that the russian Lukoil stopped supplying oil to Hungary due to the strengthening of sanctions on the part of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Szijjarto said that Ukraine's decision to stop the transit of russian Lukoil oil threatens the long-term security of supplies to Hungary and Slovakia.
And the president of Slovakia threatened Ukraine with "retaliatory measures".
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