Ukraine says Russian oil to Hungary, Slovakia has restarted

Russian Oil Flows to Hungary, Slovakia Resume via Druzhba Pipeline

Oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia have resumed after a nearly three-month interruption, according to multiple reports. The restart is expected to ease tensions between Ukraine and two EU member states and may unlock a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine that Hungary had blocked over the shutdown.

Hungarian oil and gas company MOL announced on April 22 that it had received official notification from Ukrtransnafta, the operator of the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline, that repair work had been completed and that force majeure conditions, in effect since January 27, had ceased as of 6 p.m. on April 21. MOL said it expected the first crude oil shipments to arrive in Hungary and Slovakia by April 23 at the latest. The company confirmed that it had started receiving Russian oil via the pipeline, which runs through Belarus and Ukraine before reaching Hungary and Slovakia.

An unnamed Ukrainian energy industry source, quoted by AFP, said "oil transit was launched and pumping began" shortly after midday local time on April 22. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said a day earlier that flows would resume soon. Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said on Facebook that the government in Bratislava expected the first crude deliveries to reach the country by Thursday.

The Druzhba pipeline, one of the world's longest oil pipelines, has been out of service since January 27. Ukrainian authorities claimed that one of the associated facilities had been damaged during military operations, forcing a halt to transit along the entire route. Budapest and Bratislava, however, disputed this account, asserting that repairs had long been completed and that the pipeline was operational. They accused Ukraine of blocking supplies for political reasons. Ukrainian authorities did not allow EU specialists to inspect the pipeline.

Hungary and Slovakia are landlocked countries that rely heavily on Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary receives over 80% of its oil consumption through this route, and Slovakia is similarly dependent. Both countries are exempt from EU sanctions on Russian oil deliveries, which were imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The prolonged shutdown created significant friction between Ukraine and its EU neighbors. Hungary, in particular, responded by blocking a €90 billion EU loan package for Ukraine, with Hungarian officials stating, "as long as there is no oil, there will be no money." Reports from Brussels indicated that the issue of providing the loan would be discussed at a meeting of EU permanent representatives on April 22, and Hungary was expected to drop its objections if oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline were resumed.

With the resumption of oil flows, the path appears clear for the EU loan to proceed, though formal approval remains pending. The restart also alleviates the immediate energy security concerns of Hungary and Slovakia, which had been forced to tap into strategic reserves to keep refineries running. MOL, which operates refineries in Szazhalombatta, Hungary, and Bratislava, Slovakia, uses Russian crude to supply fuel to Central and Eastern European markets.

The exact cause of the pipeline shutdown remains a point of contention. While Ukrainian officials cited damage from military operations, Hungary and Slovakia have maintained that the blockage was politically motivated. The incident underscores the fragile nature of energy supply routes amid the ongoing conflict and highlights the complex interdependence between Ukraine and its EU neighbors, even as they back Kyiv in its defense against Russia's invasion.