The Som-8 well is Hungary’s first meaningful local oil addition since 2019. National demand averaged 167,000 bpd in 2024, while domestic crude output stood closer to 23,000 bpd, according to industry data.
When Croatia, Albania and Kosovo recently formed a new military alliance, Serbia and Hungary followed suit, reshaping the security situation in South East Europe.
Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Hungarian Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky earlier this month signed a bilateral military cooperation agreement in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
Bulgaria has extended a helping hand to Hungary in managing the fallout from Ukraine’s recent ban on the transit of oil from Russia’s Lukoil, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, announced in Bucharest, Romania, on Wednesday 24 July.
Szijjarto detailed how he and Bulgarian Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov had
Slovakia and Hungary have vehemently criticised Ukraine’s recent decision to halt the transit of Russian Lukoil oil to Hungary, with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto describing it as “incomprehensible and unacceptable”.
These sanctions prevent Lukoil from renting the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline for transit purposes. As approximately 70% of the