Hungary will block the European Union’s latest round of sanctions against Russia, the nation’s foreign minister said Sunday, escalating a diplomatic standoff over the flow of Russian crude oil through Ukrainian territory.

The move is designed to pressure Kyiv into resuming shipments via the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies critical refineries in both Hungary and Slovakia. Transit through the southern leg of the pipeline has been halted since Jan. 27. 

While Kyiv attributes the outage to a Russian drone strike on pipeline infrastructure in Western Ukraine, officials in Budapest and Bratislava have blamed Ukraine for the prolonged disruption.

"At tomorrow’s Foreign Affairs Council, the EU aims to adopt the 20th sanctions package. Hungary will block it," Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced on the X platform. 

"Until Ukraine resumes oil transit to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, we will not allow decisions important to Kyiv to move forward."

The blockade comes at a sensitive time for the 27-nation bloc, which had hoped to finalize the 20th sanctions package by Tuesday to coincide with the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The dispute over the pipeline has triggered some of the most heated rhetoric between Ukraine and its neighbours since the war began. 

While Hungary and Slovakia are members of NATO and the EU, their leadership has frequently deviated from the pro-Ukraine consensus to maintain ties with Moscow.

The pressure tactics on Ukraine by Hungary and Slovakia extend beyond sanctions to financial aid and energy exports. Szijjarto confirmed Hungary will block a 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) EU defence loan for Ukraine since these funds require a unanimous vote for approval.

Additionally, both Hungary and Slovakia have threatened to sever electricity supplies to Ukraine if the oil does not begin flowing again.

Following Hungary’s hard stand, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry issued a sharp rebuke on Saturday, condemning the demands as "ultimatums and blackmail."

As the Druzhba pipeline remains dry, the impasse threatens to leave the EU’s unified front against Russia in a state of paralysis, highlighting the continent's lingering dependence on Soviet-era energy infrastructure.