BUDAPEST: The Hungarian company MOL has been informed by Ukraine that oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline from Russia through Belarus, bringi...
BUDAPEST: The Hungarian company MOL has been informed by Ukraine that oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline from Russia through Belarus, bringing oil to Hungary and Slovakia, are expected to resume no later than Thursday.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga acknowledged that the main obstacle to the resumption of the Druzhba pipeline was Budapest's blocking of €90 billion in European financing for Kiev.
TASS has compiled the main information on the situation.
Transit resumption
- Hungarian company MOL received official notification from the Ukrainian operator of the Druzhba oil pipeline regarding its readiness to resume oil transit from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia.
-JSC Ukrtransnafta, the company responsible for operating the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline, has officially informed MOL that repair works on the Druzhba Pipeline have been completed and that the force majeure conditions in effect since January 27, 2026 ceased as of 6pm on April 21, 2026," MOL said in a statement on its website.
Deadline for resumption of supplies
- Ukraine has begun filling the Druzhba pipeline, which was shut down on January 27, according to the TA-3 television channel.
- "JSC Ukrtransnafta has informed MOL that the receipt of crude oil from Belarus via the Druzhba pipeline system began in Ukraine at noon today. MOL expects the first crude oil shipments following the restart of the Ukrainian section of the pipeline system to arrive in Hungary and Slovakia by tomorrow at the latest," MOL said in a statement on its website.
Kiev's statement
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga acknowledged that the main obstacle to resuming the Druzhba oil pipeline was Budapest's blocking of €90 billion in European financing for Kiev.
- According to him, now "we need to move forward together so that Ukraine receives a €90 billion loan from the EU."
The 20th Sanctions Package and financing for Kiev
- The European Commission (EC) has excluded the ban on the transportation of Russian oil from its 20th sanctions package, proposing that EU countries urgently adopt a scaled-down version of the package, a diplomatic source in Brussels told TASS.
- Slovakia will not approve new EU sanctions without the "real opening" of the Druzhba oil pipeline, Prime Minister Robert Fico told reporters.
- EU ambassadors will approve €90 billion in military funding for Kiev for 2026-2027 unless they receive written objections from Hungary and Slovakia by midday, Politico reported.
Situation with Druzhba pipeline
- Russian oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia were stopped on January 27.
- Kiev claimed that one of the associated facilities had been damaged during military action, and transit had to be stopped along the entire pipeline.
- Budapest and Bratislava stated that, according to their information, repairs had long been completed, the pipeline was operational, and Ukraine was blocking deliveries only for political reasons.
- Ukrainian authorities did not allow EU specialists to inspect the Druzhba pipeline.
- In response, Hungary blocked the EU's €90 billion loan to Ukraine, stating that "as long as there is no oil, there will be no money." Hungary is expected to lift its objections if oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline are resumed.
Due to Ukraine's suspension of oil transit from Russia, the Hungarian government was forced to provide MOL with crude from its state strategic reserves.
The company uses Russian oil at its refineries located in Szazhalombatta, Hungary, and Bratislava, Slovakia.
These refineries supply Central and Eastern European countries. Hungary receives over 80% of its oil consumption via the Druzhba pipeline.
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