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RPT-Slovakia, Hungary threaten Ukraine with court fight over blocked oil

Hungary and Slovakia have threatened to take Ukraine to court for blocking products of oil by Russian producer Lukoil by means of the Sovietbuilt Druzhba (Relationship) pipeline, the last remaining path for Russian crude to Europe.

The following lays out the appropriate truths.

RUSSIA'S REMAINING OIL LINK TO EUROPE

After Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the European Union (EU), which utilized to purchase up to a 3rd of its fuel from Russia, enforced sanctions and stopped purchasing Russian oil.

Nevertheless, it provided three member states - Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic - exemptions from sanctions because of their reliance on Russian oil and restricted options.

Russia therefore continued to deliver some 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil - equivalent to around 0.3% of international products - to eastern Europe via the southern leg of Druzhba.

Germany and Poland, which used to receive oil via Druzhba's. northern branch, stopped purchases of Moscow's oil in 2023, and. Russia has actually considering that rerouted most of those volumes to Asia.

China has become Russia's greatest oil buyer, receiving some. 2.14 million bpd via different paths.

TRANSIT PROBLEMS

The southern Druzhba route links Russian oilfields with. refineries controlled by MOL in Hungary and Slovakia. and PKN Orlen in the Czech Republic.

The pipeline crosses Belarus and Ukraine before branching. into Slovakia and Hungary. It is fed oil by Russia's Transneft,. Belarus' Gomeltransneft, Ukraine's Ukrtransnafta and Slovakia's. Transpetrol.

Transneft and Ukrtransnafta have a transit contract on. products by means of Druzhba. Other Russian business, consisting of Lukoil,. are not a party to the offer, though Ukrtransnafta gets. information on who provides the pipeline.

Exports by means of Druzhba have been suspended consistently over the. in 2015 due to the fact that of the complex relationship between suppliers,. pipeline business and purchasers. In 2022, supplies briefly stopped. after sanctions left Transneft not able to pay transit charges.

Ukrtransnafta raised costs several times during 2022 and. 2023, mentioning the need to maintain facilities.

Russian market sources have actually said higher charges have actually made the. Druzhba path one of the least rewarding.

UKRAINIAN SANCTIONS

Personal oil company Lukoil provides some 50% of the oil shipped. southern Druzhba. Other suppliers consist of Russian state-owned. Tatneft, Gazprom Neft, private Russneft. and little producers.

In June 2024, Ukraine imposed sanctions on Lukoil, making it. difficult for it to ship via Druzhba.

Ukraine has actually supplied little information on the new sanctions. and has not said why they target Lukoil instead of other. Russian business.

MINIMAL ALTERNATIVES

Hungary and Slovakia are land-locked, which limits their. access to alternative deliveries of oil.

Hungary, nevertheless, can import oil from the port of Omisalj in. Croatia. Given That April, MOL has actually imported some 500,000 metric lots. of oil per month (120,000 bpd) by means of Croatia.

Slovakia can only import oil by means of a pipeline connected to. Hungary, which is not big enough to offset lost Russian. oil.

Around 30% of the oil Slovak refiner Slovnaft, owned by MOL,. processed in 2023 was non-Russian, the greatest percentage yet,. according to Slovnaft.

The Czech Republic can import oil through the Transalpine (TAL). pipeline linking Italy's port of Trieste to the IKL pipeline. in Germany's Ingolstadt. It hopes to fully change to non-Russian. supplies next year.

Ukraine likewise depends on Hungary and Slovakia for energy. They send Kyiv fuel and power that is typically produced from. Russian resources.

Hungary's foreign minister stated today the nation. supplied 42% of Ukraine's power imports in June.

(source: Reuters)