Hungary secures first Russian oil shipments via Croatia route

Hungary has arranged its first deliveries of Russian oil through an alternative supply route, with shipments set to arrive by sea in Croatia before being transported onward to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia.

The agreements were concluded by Hungarian oil and gas company MOL, which signed initial contracts covering supplies of Russian crude delivered via maritime transport to Croatia, followed by overland transit to Central Europe.

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó confirmed the development, according to the MTI news agency. He said the first shipments are already en route, with a tanker expected to reach a Croatian port in early March.

“MOL has ordered the first deliveries, which are already on their way. They will arrive at the Croatian port in early March, and from there the oil will be transported within 5–10 days to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia,” the Hungarian official said.

Earlier reports indicated that the European Union had called on Ukraine to restore operations of the Druzhba oil pipeline in order to resume the transit of Russian oil supplies to Slovakia and Hungary.

By Tamilla Hasanova