Lead
Oil has resumed flowing through the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia after a three-month shutdown, according to Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova, as reported by the CTK news agency and TASS. Sakova confirmed that crude oil began arriving in the country on April 23 after 2:00 a.m. local time, and that supplies are being delivered according to a plan agreed with Kyiv.
Coverage Comparison
The resumption of oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline — which carries Russian crude through Belarus and Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia — has been covered by several TASS dispatches, all citing Slovak officials and the Czech news agency CTK. According to the reports, Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said oil for the republic is now being supplied according to plan, and that deliveries began early Thursday local time.
Multiple accounts also confirm that the halt of pumping began on January 27. Slovakia declared an energy crisis after the suspension, and Prime Minister Robert Fico said the country would block new EU sanctions against Russia until the pipeline was restored.
The resumption was preannounced by Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs Janos Boka on April 20, who said Ukraine would resume the transit of Russian oil to Hungary via Druzhba at noon on April 21. By April 22, the Hungarian energy company MOL reported that it had received official notification from Ukraine's pipeline operator Ukrtransnafta that repair works had been completed and force majeure conditions ceased as of 6 p.m. on April 21.
On April 21, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said repairs to the supposedly damaged section had been completed and pumping could resume, but gave no timetable. Belarusian state concern Belneftekhim also confirmed the start of oil transit through its territory toward Hungary and Slovakia, according to BelTA.
Key Claims
- Oil deliver to Slovakia resumed on April 23. According to CTK and Economy Minister Denisa Sakova, oil began arriving after 2 a.m. local time. Prime Minister Robert Fico reportedly said about 13,500 tonnes would be delivered on that day.
- Ukraine halted Druzhba flows on January 27. Kiev initially cited damage to a facility during military operations as the reason for the stop. This explanation was disputed by Hungary and Slovakia, which claimed the pipeline was operational and that the block was politically motivated.
- The resumption followed negotiations tied to EU funding for Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andryi Sibiga acknowledged that the main obstacle to the pipeline's restart was Budapest's blocking of a €90 billion European financial package for Kyiv. Hungarian officials, including Janos Boka, pointed out that oil supplies would never have resumed without the Hungarian veto.
- Diplomatic pressures played a role. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said it took effort by Hungarian and Slovak prime ministers Viktor Orban and Robert Fico to persuade the European Commission to seek permission from Zelensky for EU experts to inspect the pipeline.
Perspectives
The resumption of oil flows is seen from remarkably different vantage points:
- Hungary and Slovakia view it as a victory for their pressure tactics, linking the flow of oil to broader EU cooperation with Ukraine. They framed the deal as “if no oil, no money” for Kyiv, and credit the cut-off with unlocking the €90 billion in European financing.
- Ukraine has positioned the restart as a unilateral repair and concession to European partners, despite some Ukrainian officials admitting that Budapest’s stalemate with Brussels was decisive in break the impasse.
- Russia welcomes the resumption, stressing that the Druzhba pipeline remains the most efficient route for energy supplies to Europe. Russian officials also noted that Moscow had always maintained that the pipeline was intact and the suspension was artificial.