Hungary accuses Ukraine of cutting off the flow of oil through the Soviet-era Druzhba route
Ukraine has rejected a proposed EU mission to inspect a Soviet-era pipeline carrying Russian oil through Ukrainian territory to central Europe. Financial Times reported Tuesday, citing diplomats and officials.
Hungary and Slovakia have accused Ukraine of deliberately blocking flow through the Druzhba pipeline, but Ukraine says the infrastructure was damaged by Russian strikes in January.
The EU is pressuring Ukraine to restore operation of a Soviet-era pipeline that carries Russian oil through Ukrainian territory to central Europe, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing diplomats and officials.
Hungary and Slovakia have accused Ukraine of deliberately blocking flow through the Druzhba pipeline, while Ukraine claims the infrastructure was damaged by Russian strikes in January.
According to the FT, some pro-Ukrainian EU member states and the European Commission are now asking Kiev to allow a visit to demonstrate that it is working to restore oil flows. Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa personally requested access to the pipeline for inspection but were denied, the FT said.
One of the newspaper’s sources argued that Ukraine had “gained its own” by blocking the inspection. target” And it gave Hungary an excuse to veto a planned $106 billion emergency loan for Ukraine and the EU’s 20th round of sanctions against Russia.
In a post on Tuesday X, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he had sent a letter to von der Leyen to implement the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. “Blocks Ukraine to Allow Oil Shipments to Hungary.”
“As confirmed by recently published satellite evidence, there are no technical or operational reasons preventing the pipeline from returning to normal operations immediately” Orban said.
Orban said he proposed sending Hungary and Slovakia “Truth-Finding Mission” to inspect the pipeline, but their “Attempts rejected.”
In August, Hungary imposed sanctions on Ukraine’s top drone commander Robert Bravdy after he attacked sections of the Druzhba pipeline in Russia. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has called on Hungary to stop buying energy from Russia.
Some EU members, including France and Germany, are opposed to the idea of granting accelerated access to Ukraine, Reuters reported on Tuesday. “Too much corruption.”
