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The European Commission has declined formal talks with Ukraine over its partial ban on Russian oil exports to Hungary and Slovakia. This decision may be rooted in a deeper discord within the EU, as Hungary and Slovakia diverge from Ukraine solidarity stance read more
 "Is it the price for closeness to Russia?")
European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 1, 2023. File Image/Reuters
The European Commission has declined initiating formal talks with Ukraine over its partial ban on Russian oil exports to Hungary and Slovakia. This cold shoulder to Budapest and Bratislava must be viewed in the broader context, as they refuse to toe the line on EU solidarity towards Ukraine.
The oil sanctions concern
In June, Ukraine implemented sanctions blocking the transit of pipeline crude from Lukoil, Russia’s largest private oil firm, to Central Europe. This action raised concerns about potential supply shortages in Hungary and Slovakia.
In response, these countries sent a letter to the EU executive, urging it to open emergency consultations with Ukraine, arguing that Kyiv was violating a 2014 trade agreement with Brussels.
According to Reuters, in a letter addressed to foreign ministers of Hungary and Slovakia, European Commission Vice President for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis said, “Commission services have preliminarily concluded that urgent consultations do not appear to be warranted as there is no current indication of an immediate risk to the security of supply.”
In fact, far from taking up their complaint immediately, Dombrovskis stressed on the need for these countries to diversify away from Russian oil, suggesting that reliance on Russian oil should be actively reduced.
The rift between EU and Hungary and Slovakia
The European Union’s reluctance to address the two nations’ grievances appears not to be based on just the immediate logistical impacts of the sanctions.
Instead, it reflects a deeper discord within the EU regarding support for Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion.
The EU has consistently condemned Russian aggression in Ukraine and committed to providing robust political, financial, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, alongside imposing stringent sanctions on Russia.
However, Hungary and Slovakia have distanced themselves from this stance.
In March, Hungary and Slovakia’s foreign ministers reiterated their refusal to provide arms to Ukraine. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto declared that Hungary would not send any weapons to Ukraine, while Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar maintained that the conflict had no military solution.
This divergence became even more pronounced recently. In July, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, which drew significant condemnation from multiple EU leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
In this incident, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was by Orban’s side. He not only praised Orban’s visit but also said “If my health had permitted it, I would have liked very much to have joined him,” Politico had reported.
The EU’s decision not to engage in formal talks with Ukraine over the oil sanctions can be seen as a not-so-subtle rebuke to Hungary and Slovakia for their divergent policies.
In a nutshell
The European Commission’s rebuff of Hungary and Slovakia is not merely a reaction to the specific issue of oil transit sanctions. It also has to do with the broader rift within the EU, where Hungary and Slovakia’s closer ties to Russia and reluctance to fully support Ukraine contrast sharply with the EU’s collective stance.
This divergence potentially undermines EU solidarity and complicates its unified response to Russian aggression.
With inputs from agencies
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