Ukraine accepts EU offer to help restore Druzhba oil pipeline flow to Hungary, Slovakia
on Google
Editor's note: The story has been updated with additional details.
Kyiv has accepted the EU's offer of assistance in restoring oil transit to Europe via the damaged Druzhba pipeline, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a letter to EU leaders, signed and published on March 17.
Druzhba, a major oil network used to funnel Russian crude to Hungary and Slovakia, became the center of a dispute between Kyiv and the two EU members after it went offline in late January.
Ukraine said a Russian strike damaged a pumping station in the country's west.
However, Slovakia and Hungary accused Kyiv of deliberately restricting supplies, vowing to keep blocking the EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia and a 90 billion euro ($104 billion) loan for Ukraine.
"I welcome and accept your offer of the necessary technical support and funding to be able to conclude the repair work as well as to explore the longer-term sustainable solutions," Zelensky said in a letter to European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
According to von der Leyen, "European experts are available immediately."
The Brody pumping station should be restored within one and a half months, "in the absence of any further attacks from Russia," Zelensky added.
As a preliminary assessment indicates that an oil tank damaged in the strike cannot be restored, Ukraine is considering building an underground storage infrastructure as a more sustainable solution, he added.
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy grid with drone and missile attacks over the winter, causing power and gas outages amid freezing temperatures.
Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto dismissed the agreement between Ukraine and the EU as a "political game."
"We call on (Zelensky) and (von der Leyen) to stop this political theatre. The oil blockade against Hungary must be lifted immediately!" he said on X.
In his letter, Zelensky further stressed that his country is ready to provide alternative routes of non-Russian crude to countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
Oil and gas represent roughly one-quarter of Russia's federal income, playing a key role in sustaining its war effort in Ukraine.
The EU leaders said they would "work with the concerned parties" regarding alternative supplies to the EU.
"Our priority is to ensure energy security for all European citizens," von der Leyen said on X.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, long viewed as friendly to Moscow, has used the Druzhba pipeline dispute to target Ukraine during a tense domestic election campaign.
Last week, Budapest dispatched a team of experts to inspect the Druzhba pipeline. Kyiv said the visit had not been coordinated with Kyiv, that the Hungarian team had no official status or scheduled meetings with Ukrainian officials. The team had since returned home.
