Simple pragmatism. Nations require energy. After the Nordstream pipeline was destroyed by either individuals from Ukraine, or Ukraine or Ukraine in concert with others, and after the other pipelines have been damaged, it is no longer about pure politics. It is about energy.
But the Left-Green-EU-centered politics atop the current system is trying to use words to replace energy of hydrocarbons with the energy of politics.
No its about Russian energy and who buys it in Europe. There is a standing offer from Croatia to provide that energy to Hungary and Slovakia with non-Russian oil, which both refused.
As of late February and early March 2026, Croatia has offered to assist Slovakia (led by Prime Minister Robert Fico) and Hungary by supplying oil through its Adria (JANAF) pipeline, following disruptions to the Druzhba pipeline