Hungary will gradually halt natural gas supplies to Ukraine, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced Tuesday, March 25, 2026, on his Facebook page. The move escalates tensions between the two countries and adds another layer of complexity to Europe’s energy security landscape.
Orbán linked the decision to the situation surrounding the Druzhba oil pipeline, which has experienced disruptions. “We will gradually stop gas supplies from Hungary to Ukraine and will keep the remaining gas within the country. As long as Ukraine does not supply oil, it will not receive our gas,” he stated. He added that, given reports of Ukrainian attacks on a southern pipeline supplying Hungary, it was necessary to replenish his country’s reserves.
The Hungarian Prime Minister intends to present the proposal at a cabinet meeting scheduled for March 26, 2026.
Growing Dispute Over Druzhba Pipeline
Ukrainian officials maintain that the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Ukrainian territory, was damaged on January 27, 2026, during Russian airstrikes.
Hungary and Slovakia, both of which have exemptions from European Union sanctions and continue to purchase Russian oil, have accused Kyiv of failing to repair the pipeline.
In response, Orbán is blocking a 90 billion euro loan from the European Union to Ukraine.
Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would assist in reopening the Druzhba pipeline.
Budapest and Bratislava are also blocking the adoption of a fresh set of economic sanctions against Russia, a measure supported by other EU member states.
According to analysts at the Oeconomus Hungarian Economic Research Foundation, Hungary has become a significant gas supplier to Ukraine. “The volume and share of gas from Hungary has steadily increased since 2022, rising from 2.5 percent to 14 percent in the first ten months of 2025,” a February report from the foundation stated.
Recent Developments
15min reported that a delegation of Hungarian officials visited Ukraine on March 11, 2026, to assess the “actual condition” of the Druzhba pipeline. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the officials did not have official status and entered the country under the standard visa-free rules applicable to citizens of Schengen Area countries.
On March 14, 2026, Orbán said that the officials who traveled to Ukraine to “inspect the damage to the pipeline” had succeeded in “forcing the Ukrainians to move.”
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reiterated on March 16, 2026, that his country would block both the 90 billion euro EU loan to Ukraine and the adoption of a 20th package of sanctions until the Druzhba pipeline is operational, according to the portal “New Voice.”
On March 17, 2026, the European Union offered Ukraine technical support and funding for the repair of the Druzhba pipeline, an offer Kyiv accepted.
On March 18, 2026, Serhiy Koretskyi, head of Naftohaz, announced that EU experts had arrived in Ukraine to assess the condition of the Druzhba pipeline and held a working meeting with the leadership of the oil industry.
Prior to this, on February 18, 2026, Hungary and Slovakia announced a temporary suspension of diesel exports to Ukraine, stating that they would resume operation of the Druzhba pipeline after repairs following damage sustained during a Russian strike on January 27, 2026.
