Aug 9 (Reuters) – Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft (TRNF_p.MM) said on Tuesday Ukraine had suspended oil flows via the Druzhba – or Friendship – crude oil pipeline’s southern leg after Western sanctions prevented the payment of transit fees.

The leg of the pipeline transports Urals crude to Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Hungary’s MOL (MOLB.BU) and Unipetrol, controlled by Polish PKN Orlen (PKN.WA), are the main buyers of Urals in the region, which is heavily dependent on Russian crude.

EUROPEAN UNION BAN

The European Union agreed in May to ban most imports of Russian crude and oil products by the end of this year following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, excluding landlocked refineries in eastern Europe and Germany.