Hungary is blocking a 90 billion euro ($96.7 billion USD) aid package for Ukraine, citing concerns over access to a key oil pipeline, despite commitments from the European Union to provide the funding.
The dispute centers on the Druzhba pipeline, and has escalated amid rising global energy prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Hungary has proposed a joint investigation with Slovakia to assess any damage to the pipeline, a move that has stalled the approval of the EU aid package.
According to several diplomats, other EU member states and the European Commission are also pressing Kyiv to allow the inspection. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa requested access to the pipeline during a February visit to Kyiv to independently assess any damage, but their request was denied, according to The Financial Times.
One EU diplomat suggested that Ukraine’s refusal provided Hungary with a pretext to block the financial aid. “There are simple ways to document the damage and demonstrate that intensive work is being done on repairs. That did not happen,” the diplomat said.
Ukraine disputes this assessment, stating that technicians from the state-owned company Naftogaz have provided European partners with evidence of extensive damage. Serhiy Koretskyi, the General Director of Naftogaz, reported that a Russian strike in late January caused a fire in a 75,000 cubic meter oil tank, which took ten days to extinguish.
Koretskyi added that cables, transformers, and the leak detection system – crucial for the pipeline’s safe operation – were destroyed. “The attack caused a fire in the largest oil tank in Europe, with a diameter the size of a football field,” he stated. A full assessment of the damage, he said, will take time.
UkrTransNafta immediately announced the start of emergency repairs following the attack, but warned that ongoing Russian strikes are complicating safe operations. Restoring supplies, according to the Ukrainian side, would require sending repair teams into potentially dangerous areas and allocating limited resources.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claims to possess satellite imagery proving the damage is not severe enough to disrupt operations. He announced he will maintain his opposition until Ukraine resumes transit. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has stated that Ukraine rejected an offer for a joint investigative mission.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, accused Orbán of using the dispute to bolster his domestic position ahead of April elections. Zelenskyy added that Hungary is blocking funds Ukraine needs for weapons and survival.
The EU had pledged a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine, a commitment Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed during a visit to Kyiv on March 4, 2026, stating that all 27 heads of state and government had approved the loan and must honor their obligation. The development underscores the challenges facing international efforts to support Ukraine as it continues to defend against Russian aggression.
