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The European Union Seeks to Halt Russian Oil Imports with U.S. Support Initiative
The European Union is aiming to respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's call to stop Russian oil imports by attempting to persuade Hungary and Slovakia to suspend their Russian oil shipments, leveraging financial and political incentives aimed at reducing Moscow's energy revenue.
According to a Bloomberg report, the EU is studying unspecified trade measures to halt oil through the Drougba pipeline, which is relied upon by Hungary and Slovakia. Trump indicated his readiness to impose strong sanctions on Russia once NATO ally countries cease importing Russian oil, stating, "I'm ready to go whenever you want."
Sources indicate that only three countries need to cut their Russian oil imports: Turkey, Hungary, and Slovakia. The EU exempted Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic from the Russian oil import ban in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, due to the difficulty of transitioning to alternative sources. Conversely, the Czech Republic managed to end its dependence on Russian oil by April 2023 after infrastructure upgrades.
Meanwhile, the European Energy and Clean Air Research Center reported that Hungary and Slovakia’s oil imports since 2022 have funded Russia by up to €5.4 billion, despite these two countries increasing their imports by 2% in 2024 compared to pre-invasion levels. Hungary benefited from discounts of up to 77% on Russian oil compared to non-Russian prices.
The EU plans to impose a comprehensive ban on Russian energy by the end of 2027, coupled with financial support and infrastructure upgrades to assist Hungary and Slovakia—similar to its strategy with Russian gas, which included a €550 million package for Hungary as part of sanctions on gas.
In a related context, Matthew Boyce, a former U.S. State Department official overseeing regional policy, stated that this move represents a strategic shift in the EU’s approach to Hungary, describing it as evidence of the EU’s seriousness in enforcing its policies and changing outdated standards regarding dependence on Russian energy.
