The 2026 Druzhba pipeline dispute was a major diplomatic and energy crisis between Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine that escalated in February 2026. It occurred precisely one year after the 2025 Slovak–Ukraine gas dispute, which was triggered by the expiration of the Russia–Ukraine gas transit contract. The 2026 conflict centers on the total cessation of Russian crude oil transit through the southern leg of the Druzhba pipeline, a vital energy artery for Slovakia and Hungary, due to a Russian drone strike on January 27, 2026, that severely damaged pipeline infrastructure near the Brody oil hub in western Ukraine.
While both Slovakia and Hungary were affected, the situation was more critical for Slovakia, because it is almost entirely dependent on its single refinery, Slovnaft, which is specifically configured for Russian crude, unlike Hungary, which has multiple refining facilities with significantly larger storage capacities. Slovakia has declared a national energy state of emergency due to its more limited infrastructure and immediate supply vulnerabilities.
The dispute has led to a significant breakdown in bilateral relations, characterized by unprecedented retaliatory measures from Slovakia, including the suspension of diesel fuel exports and the termination of emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine during a critical winter period. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of lying, asserting that the Druzhba oil pipeline is fully functional and that Zelenskyy is intentionally blocking transit for political leverage.
Following the closure of the land route, Hungary and Slovakia turned to Croatia's Adria pipeline as their primary alternative for oil supplies. This transition has led to further diplomatic friction, as both nations have filed formal complaints with the European Commission, claiming that despite offering its pipelines as a "helpful" alternative, Croatia is abusing its monopoly to charge fees three times higher than the European average.
The oil dispute concluded on April 23 after repairs to the Druzhba pipeline restored crude flows to Slovakia, leading to the immediate unblocking of a €90 billion EU aid package for Ukraine and the approval of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. Prime Minister Robert Fico welcomed the resumption as a "fantastic message" for energy security but alleged the crisis was a geopolitical tool, noting that diplomatic trust between Bratislava and Kyiv remained severely damaged.
Background Following the expiration of the Russia–Ukraine gas transit contract on January 1, 2025, Slovakia had already experienced significant economic strain. Tensions intensified on January 27, 2026, when oil flows through the southern leg of the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Slovakia and Hungary, were halted.
Ukraine attributed the disruption to a Russian drone strike that damaged pipeline infrastructure near the Brody oil hub in western Ukraine.
On January 29, 2026, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted photos to social media showing the extensive damage and ongoing fires at the Brody oil hub following the Russian drone strike two days earlier. In his statement, Sybiha officially attributed the disruption to Russian aggression and cited "force majeure" to international partners, explaining that the destruction of high-pressure pumps and control systems made the continued transit of oil to Slovakia and Hungary physically impossible.
Despite the total cessation of oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline on January 27, 2026, the Slovak government maintained public silence for over two weeks, leaving the population unaware of the disruption. The outage was only brought to light on February 12 by external reports and Ukrainian officials, rather than an official announcement from Bratislava. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico did not formally address the crisis until February 18. Fico defended this silence by stating that the government "did not want to spread panic" among the population. He argued that the situation was being managed internally with Slovnaft and that the public was not in immediate danger of a fuel shortage.
Ukrainian diplomats have informed the European Commission that while repair work is underway, the "uninterrupted and stable functioning" of the system is impossible as long as Russian attacks continue. To mitigate the crisis, Ukraine has formally proposed the use of the Odesa–Brody pipeline as a temporary alternative to transport non-Russian crude or rerouted supplies to Slovak and Hungarian refineries.
Alternative logistics On February 16, in an effort to bypass the disruption of the Druzhba pipeline, the governments of Hungary and Slovakia have formally requested that Croatia facilitate the transit of Russian crude oil via the Adria pipeline (also known as the JANAF pipeline). Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Slovak officials argued that their current EU sanctions exemptions allow for the import of Russian oil by sea if land-based pipeline deliveries are interrupted.
However, this proposal has faced significant resistance from the Croatian government, which has balked at allowing Russian-origin crude to enter its infrastructure, despite expressing a willingness to help with non-Russian alternatives. Furthermore, Fico has noted that utilizing the Adria route would be commercially disadvantageous, as transit fees in Croatia are estimated to be more than five times higher than those previously paid for the Druzhba pipeline.
Croatian Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar stated: "The Adria pipeline is ready, so no EU country has any technical justification to stay tied to Russian oil. A barrel bought from Russia may appear cheaper to some countries, but helps fund war and attacks on the Ukrainian people. It's time to end this war-time speculation".
State of emergency
On February 18, the Slovak government declared a national state of emergency in the oil sector, the first in the country's history. To maintain the operations of the Slovnaft refinery and ensure domestic fuel stability, Robert Fico authorized the release of up to 250,000 tonnes of crude oil from the state's strategic material reserves. This measure was designed to cover approximately one month of refinery operations while the government negotiated alternative supply routes through Croatia and the Czech Republic.
In the same day, Fico publicly challenged Ukraine's claims of infrastructure damage, citing Slovak intelligence reports that allegedly show the Brody oil hub has already been repaired and is "technically ready" for transit. Based on this information, Fico accused President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of using the disruption as a tool for "political blackmail" and "playing games" to pressure Slovakia into changing its foreign policy regarding the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Fico argued that it was "unacceptable" for Slovakia to provide extensive humanitarian and energy aid while Ukraine's decisions caused economic damage to Slovakia, estimated by the Prime Minister at €500 million annually.
Dispute Fuel export suspension On February 18, 2026, in a coordinated response to the transit disruption, the governments of Slovakia and Hungary officially suspended all diesel fuel exports to Ukraine, a move that significantly intensified the energy pressure on Kyiv during a critical winter period.
Robert Fico defended this escalation by arguing that it was no longer sustainable or justifiable for Slovakia to continue supplying critical refined petroleum products and humanitarian energy assistance while its own national energy security and economic interests were being directly compromised by Ukrainian transit decisions. He characterized the situation as a fundamental breach of reciprocity, asserting that Slovakia could not be expected to bolster Ukraine's infrastructure and military logistics with fuel exports while Bratislava's primary source of crude oil remained blocked by Ukrainian authorities. This suspension was particularly impactful as the Slovnaft refinery in Bratislava had previously been a primary supplier of diesel for Ukraine's agricultural and defense sectors.
EU accession support withdrawal In addition to energy-based retaliatory measures, the Slovak government significantly escalated the diplomatic stakes of the conflict. Fico explicitly threatened that Slovakia would withdraw its support for Ukraine's accession to the European Union if the oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline was not immediately restored.
While Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has consistently opposed Ukraine's EU membership on ideological and economic grounds, the threat to block EU membership marks a notable policy shift for Fico, who historically voiced support for Ukraine's European ambitions.
EU loan to Ukraine On February 20, 2026, Hungary announced it would block a €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine until the resumption of oil supplies to the country via the Druzhba pipeline."Hungary to block 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine in Russian oil row." Reuters, 20 Feb. 2026, accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Termination of electricity supplies
On February 21, Robert Fico escalated the energy standoff by issuing a direct ultimatum to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via social media. He declared that if oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline was not restored by Monday, February 23, he would instruct the state grid operator to terminate all emergency electricity assistance.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially condemned the actions of Bratislava as "unacceptable energy blackmail," asserting that the government of Slovakia was issuing irresponsible ultimatums during a critical winter period. "Ultimatums should be sent to the Kremlin, and certainly not to Kyiv", the ministry said, maintaining that the disruption of the Druzhba pipeline was a direct result of Russian aggression rather than Ukrainian policy. Kyiv argued that such retaliatory measures from Bratislava only serve to undermine European solidarity and play into the hands of the aggressor.
On February 22, Fico released a video statement on social media announcing that he would request the state-owned grid operator Slovenská elektrizačná prenosová sústava (SEPS) to stop emergency electricity deliveries. He stated, "If the (Ukrainian) President tells us we should buy gas and oil elsewhere than in Russia, even if it is harder and more expensive... we have the right to respond".
On February 23, Fico conducted a high-profile visit to the headquarters of SEPS accompanied by Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický. During this meeting, Fico formally requested the immediate termination of emergency electricity assistance to Ukraine.
In clarifying the nature of this aid, Fico emphasized that Slovakia does not provide a constant flow of power, but rather "emergency assistance" intended to stabilize the Ukrainian grid and facilitate a "system restart" during critical blackouts.
20th sanctions package
On February 23, Slovakia joined Hungary in blocking the European Union's 20th sanctions package against Russia, preventing its adoption ahead of the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Fico specifically linked his opposition to the suspension of oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline, characterizing the situation as a deliberate provocation by Ukraine.
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas expressed deep regret over the deadlock, describing it as a "setback and message we didn't want to send" on such a somber anniversary. Kallas emphasized that the vetoes undermine the "principle of sincere cooperation" enshrined in EU treaties and criticized the use of unrelated energy disputes to block support for Ukraine.
Adria pipeline