Hungary will ask the European Union for a one-year extension of an exemption from sanctions against Russia that allows refiner Slovnaft, to export products refined from Russian oil to Czechia.

According to Reuters, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that Hungarian energy group MOL needed one more year to complete investment at its Slovak refinery Slovnaft that would allow a further shift to non-Russian crude.

"To carry these investments through one more year is needed, therefore we ask the EU to extend by one year the exemption from sanctions that allows MOL and Slovnaft, which is part of the group, to export products refined from Russian oil to the Czech Republic," said Szijjártó.

MOL owns refineries in landlocked Hungary and Slovakia, both of which are fed by the Druzhba pipeline's southern spur.

Slovakia receives nearly all of its crude oil from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline but plans to cut the proportion this year.

In December 2022, Slovakia successfully obtained an exemption from European Union sanctions on Russian oil, allowing it to continue exporting petroleum products.

In October 2022, the EU Council adopted a decision to ban maritime transport of Russian petroleum products to third countries from February 5, 2023, as well as related technical assistance, brokerage services, financing, or financial assistance.

Since December 5, the European Union's decision to set a price cap for oil, petroleum products, and lubricants originating from or exported from Russia at $60 per barrel has come into effect.