The European Commission plans to impose tariffs on Russian oil still flowing to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, spurred by Donald Trump's calls to sever all energy ties with Russia. This aims to incentivize these countries to find alternative suppliers, accelerating the phase-out of Russian fossil fuels, currently slated for 2027. While Hungary and Slovakia oppose this, citing energy security concerns, the tariffs, unlike sanctions, require only a qualified majority for approval.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.