“Commission services have preliminarily concluded that urgent consultations do not appear to be warranted,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson explained that Brussels sees no evidence that Ukraine’s sanctions pose a threat to Europe’s energy security, as Russian oil continues to flow through the Druzhba pipeline, which connects Russia with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary via Ukraine.
“It appears that the sanctions imposed by Ukraine on Lukoil do not affect ongoing oil transit operations via Druzhba carried out by trading companies, as long as Lukoil is not the formal owner of the oil,” the spokesperson added.
Slovakia and Hungary, both of which have opposed Western military support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, have expressed concerns to Brussels about Kyiv’s decision to sanction Lukoil, arguing that it hampers their ability to purchase Russian oil for their refineries, potentially threatening their energy supply.
Hungary recently provided additional information to the Commission, which will be reviewed in the coming days.
Despite Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Druzhba oil pipeline has remained operational, even as the EU has significantly reduced its reliance on other Russian energy sources. The southern branch of the pipeline, which runs through Ukraine to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, has long been a key source of supply for their refineries.
