The European Union has announced its support for repairing the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine, following discussions with Ukraine, Hungary, and Slovakia. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa said the decision came after these talks.
The pipeline links Russian oil fields to refineries in Eastern and Central Europe. Damage to it had halted oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, so the EU’s goal is now to restore the flow.
The EU offered both technical assistance and financing, which Ukraine has welcomed and accepted. European experts are ready to start work immediately, as energy security for all EU citizens is a top priority.
In addition, the EU and the affected parties are developing alternative routes for non‑Russian crude to transit to Central and Eastern European countries. This step is also seen as necessary to revive talks about urgently needed financial aid for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions before the European Council meeting.
Hungary had recently linked its support for Ukraine’s access to €90 billion of EU loans for the pipeline’s restoration to its own approval. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned this move as “extortion”.
