Slovakia and Hungary say Ukraine suspended transit of oil from Lukoil

In particular, Slovak oil transportation operator Transpetrol said on Thursday 18 July that deliveries from Lukoil have stopped, but deliveries from other Russian exporters are coming in.

Jul 19, 2024 - 21:26

Slovakia and Hungary say Ukraine suspended transit of oil from Lukoil

Russian oil company Lukoil. Photo via Eastnews.ua.

Slovakia and Hungary said they had stopped receiving oil from Russia’s Lukoil after Ukrainian sanctions against it intensified.

As reported by European Pravda.

Both Slovakia and Hungary said they continue to receive oil from other Russian suppliers, but not from Lukoil.

In particular, Slovak oil transportation operator Transpetrol said on Thursday 18 July that deliveries from Lukoil have stopped, but deliveries from other Russian exporters are coming in.

The Slovak Ministry of Economy said the move would affect the Bratislava-based Slovnaft oil refinery.

“According to the information we have received from Transpetrol, Russian oil supplies to Slovakia have not been stopped. The information from Slovnaft indicates that the problem only concerns supplies from a specific supplier, the Russian company Lukoil,” the TASR news agency quoted spokeswoman Maria Pavlusik of the Slovak Ministry of Economy as saying.

A prolonged supply shortage could negatively affect the operation of the Bratislava refinery. Despite a gradual switch to alternative suppliers, two-thirds of the oil it processes is still of Russian origin.

The Slovak Ministry of Economy added that although Lukoil provided part of the supplies for Slovnaft, it secured Russian oil supplies from another supplier and also ordered oil from alternative sources. “Despite this, the ministry has paid attention to the problem and is actively working on its solution together with Ukrainian partners,” Pavlusik added.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Tuesday that crude oil is no longer supplied by Lukoil through Ukraine.

“There is now a legal situation in Ukraine according to which Lukoil does not deliver to Hungary. We are now working on a legal solution,” Szijjarto told reporters after a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Lukoil was under sanctions in Ukraine since 2018, but they were limited – they concerned only withdrawal of capital, restriction of trade operations and prohibition of participation in privatization or lease of state property. In June 2024, sanctions were significantly expanded, adding, in particular, a ban on transit.

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