The European Union is preparing measures that could block imports of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, the main source of crude supplies for Hungary and Slovakia.
According to Bloomberg on September 20, EU officials are considering trade restrictions that would directly affect the pipeline. People familiar with the discussions told the outlet that the step could sharply reduce or even fully halt deliveries.
Bloomberg notes that Budapest and Bratislava—two capitals that have repeatedly resisted EU efforts to phase out Russian energy imports—would not be able to block the initiative.
Unlike sanctions packages, which require unanimous approval by all member states, trade measures are adopted at the level of national governments, meaning Hungary and Slovakia would have no veto power.
By moving pipeline restrictions outside of the sanctions framework, EU institutions can bypass opposition from member states most dependent on Russian oil.
Cutting oil flows through Druzhba would also help the EU meet a key demand from US President Donald Trump, who has urged Europe to fully abandon Russian energy resources.
As Bloomberg underscores, Hungary and Slovakia remain the only EU countries still importing Russian pipeline oil more than three years after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
Earlier, Czechia announced it had fully ended Russian oil imports for the first time in six decades. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the shift became possible after the expansion of the Transalpine Pipeline, which now delivers enough non-Russian crude to meet the country’s refining needs.
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