Budapest: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced a potential suspension of gas supplies to Ukraine, amid ongoing tensions surrounding the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline. Orban's statement on Wednesday indicated that Hungary would gradually reduce gas deliveries unless oil transit is restored, bringing energy security concerns to the forefront.

According to Anadolu Agency, Orban took to Facebook to assert that Hungary would prioritize storing gas domestically, citing energy security as a critical concern. He accused Ukraine of blocking the Druzhba pipeline's operations and described it as an 'attack' on infrastructure vital to Hungary's energy supply.

Orban stated that Hungary would officially propose this course of action at the next government meeting, emphasizing the importance of building national reserves. He underscored Hungary's need to break what he described as an 'oil blockade' to maintain stable energy supplies and preserve its regulated fuel prices, which he claimed are among the lowest in Europe.

The dispute began when Ukraine halted energy deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline following strikes that Kyiv attributed to Russian actions. However, Hungary and Slovakia have accused Ukraine of deliberately blocking shipments to gain political leverage, leading both countries to suspend diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine in retaliation.