Ukraine is set to resume oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline on Wednesday, in a move Kyiv hopes will unlock a frozen €90 billion European Union aid package and ease tensions with key European partners.
A senior industry source confirmed the restart hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that repairs to the pipeline network had been completed. The infrastructure was damaged in a Russian strike on a pumping station in January.
“Oil pumping is scheduled to begin tomorrow at lunchtime,” the source said, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue. Hungary’s MOL has submitted the first transit request, with initial volumes to be shared between Hungary and Slovakia.
The suspension of flows through the southern branch of the Druzhba (“Friendship”) pipeline triggered sharp criticism from Hungary and Slovakia, both of which rely heavily on Russian crude delivered via the route under exemptions from wider EU sanctions.
Officials in Budapest and Bratislava accused Kyiv of delaying repairs for political leverage, claims Ukraine denied, citing the difficulty of restoring infrastructure under sustained attack.
Tensions escalated when Hungary’s then prime minister, Viktor Orbán, vetoed a €90 billion EU loan package for Ukraine despite prior approval by the European Council. The move drew criticism from other EU members.
The political situation shifted after Orbán lost re-election on 12 April. This opened the way for progress, with Zelenskyy announcing on Tuesday that repairs had been completed ahead of schedule.
The dispute had strained relations between Kyiv and parts of the EU. Zelenskyy previously accused some European actors of “blackmail” over pressure to prioritise pipeline repairs while Ukraine remains under military attack.
European Council President António Costa thanked Zelenskyy on X, signalling improved relations.
With repairs complete, Zelenskyy has urged Brussels to release the €90 billion package without delay.
“There can now be no grounds for blocking it,” he said in his nightly address. “The European Union asked Ukraine to repair the Druzhba oil pipeline… We have repaired it. We hope that the European Union will also implement the agreements.”
Ukraine remains heavily dependent on Western financial support as the war continues. The finance ministry estimates it needs $52 billion in external funding this year alone, with officials warning of possible shortfalls by June without EU assistance.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected a decision within 24 hours following talks in Luxembourg. European Economic Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said funding for 2026 was largely secured, with an initial disbursement likely by late May or early June.
Despite the breakthrough, uncertainty remains over the long-term reliability of the Druzhba route.
The Kremlin said Russia was ready to resume flows. However, industry sources indicated Moscow may halt shipments of Kazakh oil to Germany via a northern branch of the pipeline from 1 May, highlighting continued instability.
The pipeline was a central issue in Hungary’s recent election campaign, with Orbán accusing Ukraine of attempting to influence the vote by restricting supplies. His successor, Péter Magyar, has called for a pragmatic approach, urging both Ukraine and Russia to restore safe and reliable transit.
Oil volumes through Ukraine have already declined, reaching a 10-year low of 9.7 million tonnes last year, according to Kyiv-based consultancy ExPro.
Zelenskyy reiterated calls for European countries to reduce reliance on Russian energy routes. “No one can currently guarantee that Russia will not repeat attacks on the pipeline infrastructure,” he said, warning that transit routes across Ukraine remain vulnerable while the war continues.
Kenya has recorded a second death from Ebola, the health ministry said late on Friday, as the outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of Con...
Gunmen opened fire on mourners at a church funeral in southern Jordan on Friday, killing at least seven people in a rare attack on the country&rsqu...
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday described a deadly shooting in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris, as a racist a...
Saudi Aramco has ordered staff to evacuate its headquarters amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Two people were killed in an attack on Dammam airport, while Iran's IRGC Navy claimed strikes on seven vessels and warned the U.S. of a wider response.
Israeli military bulldozers have begun demolishing buildings in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, 23 October, following armed clashes with Palestinians that left two Israeli soldiers dead, according to the Israeli military.
Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight killed at least two people and injured 15 others, including two children, Ukrainian authorities said. Meanwhile, Russia said it had intercepted the vast majority of 630 Ukrainian drones launched towards Moscow.
Super typhoon Champi is set to batter Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture from Friday (23 October), bringing violent winds, torrential rain and waves up to 11 metres high, as airlines cancel flights and organisers scrap a major festival.
A powerful magnitude 7 earthquake has struck Tibet in southwestern China, killing 16 people and injuring 65, while forcing more than 12,000 residents to relocate as rescue teams respond to widespread aftershocks.
Kenya has recorded a second death from Ebola, the health ministry said late on Friday, as the outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to spread across Africa.
Gunmen opened fire on mourners at a church funeral in southern Jordan on Friday, killing at least seven people in a rare attack on the country’s Christian minority that has raised fresh questions about security in the country.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday described a deadly shooting in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris, as a racist attack and ‘a turning point’ for the country.
Armenian authorities have detained 10 more people in a vote-buying investigation involving the opposition Strong Armenia party, just two days before local elections in the northern town of Stepanavan.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met India’s Minister of External Affairs in Baku for talks on strengthening bilateral relations, with a focus on trade, investment, energy and technology.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment