Hungary and Slovakia have agreed to build a new oil product pipeline to transport gasoline and diesel between the two countries, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade announced (Xinhua, 16/03/2026). The Minister has signed an agreement with the Slovak Economy Minister to construct a 127 km-long pipeline linking the oil refineries in Bratislava (Slovakia) and Szazhalombatta in central Hungary. The pipeline will transport up to 1.5 Mt/year of oil products, including diesel and gasoline. The project is expected to be completed in the first half of 2027.
This development comes amid broader tensions between Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine in recent weeks. Deliveries of Russian crude oil to Slovakia and Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline stopped at the end of January 2026. Both governments accuse Ukraine of blocking the reopening of the pipeline, while Ukraine claims it was damaged by Russian strikes. The pipeline remains a vital oil source for both Slovakia and Hungary, two countries exempt from EU sanctions on Russian refined oil imports.
Slovakia asserts the pipeline has already been repaired but that Ukraine is keeping it closed to pressure the two countries, which currently oppose Ukraine's EU accession negotiations (KEI, 24/02/2026). In March 2026, Hungary banned the export of gasoline and diesel to Ukraine, while blocking approval of a EUR90bn EU financial assistance package for Ukraine. Slovakia cut emergency power supplies to Ukraine at the beginning of March (KEI, 06/03/2026).