A collection of 134 posts
Crude oil flows to Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia will recommence after Hungarian energy firm MOL paid the August transit fee for usage of the southern, Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline on Wednesday. Ukraine suspended Russian oil flows through the pipeline on Thursday 4 August, Russian pipeline operator Transneft said
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced Monday that he is in negotiations with Russia’s Gazprom regarding a long-term gas supply deal that would redirect all of Hungary’s shipments through the TurkStream pipeline. Fears that Russia will cut off energy supplies to Europe have been growing in recent weeks,
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte reacted to criticism on Thursday over her country’s acceptance of the transport of civilian-use goods from Russia to Kalingrad across its territory. “It would be irrational to continue to argue with EU partners” Simonyte said, after the European Commission (EC) on Wednesday clarified its
The Hungarian government declared a state of emergency and ditched its flagship policy of subsidising domestic utility bills on Wednesday, as fears of a looming European energy crisis rise across the continent. The crisis meeting of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s energy cabinet on Wednesday was prompted, according to
As Europe attempts a highly complicated manoeuvre to phase out Russian energy, two countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are taking very different roads. While EU member Slovakia is signing supply contracts for liquefied natural gas (LNG) from northern Europe, accession candidate Serbia has agreed a medium-term gas deal
In a letter to be sent to EU finance ministers, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia jointly call for frozen Russian assets to be used towards the reconstruction of Ukraine in the aftermath of its invasion by Russia. The letter written by the four Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, seen
Austrian energy group OMV announced on Friday that it was opening an account with Russian Gazprombank for ruble conversion. The development came after repeated Austrian assertions that it would not pay for gas in rubles, as Russia demanded in response to EU sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine on 24
The Slovak government approved a proposal to impose an extra import tax on Russian-processed crude oil on Wednesday. The levy would impact Slovnaft, a subsidiary of Hungarian energy firm MOL that has a refinery in the Slovak capital of Bratislava, Hungarian-language Slovak daily Uj Szo wrote. Slovak Finance Minister Igor
The European Commission (EC) could channel funds to countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to help reduce their dependence on Russian fuels, in the wake of Hungary threatening to veto the planned EU embargo on Russian oil imports. The financial compensation would be disbursed via the new RePowerEU strategy
NATO has around 30 surveillance and fighter jets in airspace outside of Ukraine and Belarus at any moment according the defence alliance, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. NATO also released an infographic outlining the allied aircraft able to be deployed in airspace in Central and Eastern Europe
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen paid an unexpected visit to Budapest on Monday evening to discuss the EU’s proposed package of sanctions against Russia with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. After the meeting, von der Leyen tweeted: “This evening’s discussion with PM Viktor Orban was helpful
The EU has revised its proposal to ban Russia oil imports by the end of 2022, in order to give Hungary and Slovakia an extra two years to comply. The third country offered a deadline extension by the EU is Czechia, which would have a six-month earlier deadline, of June
Germany will help Czechia to modernise its army by replacing military equipment it sent to Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at a press conference with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in Berlin on Thursday evening. Scholz said Czechia will receive newer Western weapons in place of the Russian-built, pre-1989
There were mixed messages from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) on Wednesday, when the European Commission (EC) announced plans for a Russian oil embargo. In CEE, two of the countries that would be most affected by the import ban had markedly different reactions to the announcement. While Slovakia merely requested
The European Commission (EC) may allow Hungary and Slovakia to opt out of the Russian oil embargo currently being drawn up, Reuters reports. The EU will on Tuesday finalise its sixth package of sanctions against Russia, and is aware of how dependent the two countries are on Russian crude oil,