Finance
Croatia assessing legality of importing Russian oil, EU says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 25, 2026
3 min readLast updated: February 25, 2026
Tags:European Union
Quick Summary
After a Jan. 27 Druzhba outage, the EU says Croatia is evaluating whether seaborne Russian crude can transit under EU and U.S. sanctions. Adria supplies and Ukraine’s Odesa–Brody option are being weighed to secure Hungary and Slovakia.
Croatia weighs legality of Russian oil imports for Hungary, Slovakia
By Kate Abnett
EU Sanctions, Supply Routes and Regional Dispute
BRUSSELS, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Croatia is assessing whether it can lawfully import seaborne Russian crude oil to supply to Hungary and Slovakia after the Druzhba pipeline supplying them via Ukraine was damaged, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
Supply via Druzhba, which the two countries have relied on since the 1960s, was halted on January 27 due to damage which Kyiv blamed on a Russian drone strike.
Croatia’s Legal Review of Russian Crude
"Croatia has communicated that it is assessing the situation, whether it can lawfully accept Russian crude at its port, both under the EU and U.S. sanctions," a European Commission spokesperson said.
The Croatian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Croatia has so far said Adria can import more oil, but suggested there is no need for this supply to be Russian.
Adria Pipeline and MOL’s Non-Russian Flows
The Adria pipeline serves as an alternative route to supply Hungary and Slovakia. In response to the outage via Ukraine, Hungary’s MOL Group has ordered extra cargoes of non-Russian crude to be piped via Adria.
"Non-Russian oil is currently flowing normally through our system toward Hungary and Slovakia. It’s not a supplementary option; it’s an operational reality, and it means that our friends and allies in Hungary and Slovakia have a secure and reliable route of supply," Croatian Economy Minister Ante Susnjar said in a post on X on Tuesday.
POLITICAL DISPUTE
Hungary and Slovakia’s Repair Accusations
Slovakia and Hungary have accused Ukraine of stalling repairs to the Druzhba pipeline for political reasons.
Hungary vetoed new EU sanctions on Russia this week in retaliation, and blocked a new EU loan for Kyiv, straining Europe's pro-Ukrainian consensus on the eve of the Ukraine war's fourth anniversary.
Odesa-Brody Alternative Under EU Assessment
Ukraine says it is trying to repair the pipeline and offered to arrange alternative routes to transport oil to EU countries via its Odesa-Brody pipeline, in a letter Ukraine's mission to the EU sent to the European Commission, dated February 20 and seen by Reuters.
Commission Expects Accelerated Druzhba Repairs
The spokesperson also said that the European Commission understands Ukraine is ready to accelerate repairs to Druzhba and that the EU is assessing the Odesa-Brody option.
Midterm, Not Immediate, Solution
"It might be, therefore, be a bit more of a midterm solution, rather than something that would immediately be a solution," the spokesperson said.
(Reporting by Kate Abnett, Benoit Van Overstraeten; additional reporting by Ivana Sekularac, Jason Hovet; writing by Charlotte Van Campenhout; editing by Jason Neely)
Key Takeaways
- •The European Commission says Croatia is assessing whether seaborne Russian crude can be lawfully accepted under EU and U.S. sanctions. (uk.marketscreener.com)
- •Supplies via the Druzhba pipeline were halted on January 27 after damage blamed on a Russian strike, triggering supply concerns in Hungary and Slovakia. (apnews.com)
- •The Adria (JANAF) pipeline provides an alternative route into Central Europe, and MOL has worked to source non‑Russian crude via Adria while diversifying away from Urals. (spglobal.com)
- •Ukraine proposed using its Odesa–Brody pipeline and related logistics as a workaround while Druzhba repairs proceed, per a Feb. 20 letter to the European Commission. (yahoo.com)
- •The outage has intensified political friction, with Hungary threatening to veto new EU sanctions and block a major EU loan for Ukraine over the stalled oil flows. (apnews.com)
Frequently Asked Questions about Croatia assessing legality of importing Russian oil, EU says
1What is the main topic?
The EU says Croatia is assessing whether it can legally accept seaborne Russian crude to help supply Hungary and Slovakia after the Druzhba pipeline was damaged, and how this fits within EU and U.S. sanctions.
2Why is Croatia considering Russian oil imports now?
Damage to the Druzhba pipeline on January 27 halted flows to Hungary and Slovakia, prompting a review of whether Russian crude could be shipped by sea to Croatia and moved inland as a temporary measure.
3What alternative routes are being explored?
The Adria (JANAF) pipeline from Croatia’s coast is the primary alternative, and Ukraine has proposed using the Odesa–Brody pipeline and related logistics while Druzhba repairs proceed.
4How do EU and U.S. sanctions affect this decision?
Any seaborne Russian crude movement must comply with EU sanctions and U.S. measures such as OFAC rules. Croatia is evaluating whether such transits can be conducted lawfully under these regimes.
