On January 27, Ukraine showcased a comprehensive recovery strategy for the Druzhba oil pipeline, which was damaged during a Russian attack, to Gediminas Navickas, the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation. This meeting involved discussions about collaborative efforts for restoration, as confirmed by Serhiy Koretsky, the head of Naftogaz Ukraine.
During the session with the EU technical working group, Ukrainian representatives detailed the repercussions of the Russian strike on the pipeline’s infrastructure. They also presented a systematic recovery plan that aligns with European engineering and safety standards.
“We discussed the current situation and presented our recovery plan. We outlined the next steps for joint actions,” Koretsky stated.
Koretsky emphasized the significance of the EU’s offer for financial and technical assistance in countering potential future attacks.
On January 27, a Russian assault in Brody, Lviv region, led to damage to critical infrastructure related to the Druzhba pipeline, which is essential for transporting Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. Following the attack, Naftogaz reported that operations at the site were halted and a fire broke out.
As of February 12, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced that oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline had been suspended since the attack. He also indicated that Budapest was preparing to lodge complaints regarding transit issues.
“Hungary has not expressed any protest to Russia over this matter. They even avoided mentioning Russia. This is a clear case of double standards,” Sybiha remarked.
Both Hungary and Slovakia announced a halt to diesel exports to Ukraine until Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline are restored. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry clarified that it had informed Budapest about the attack and the resulting damages on January 27, asserting that accusations of delays in supplies were unfounded.
The European Commission expressed a desire for Ukraine to resume operations on the Druzhba pipeline but acknowledged that the decision must be made by Ukraine due to the risk of further Russian attacks.
On February 21, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico warned that Slovakia would cease electricity exports to Ukraine on February 23 if oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline was not reinstated. A similar statement was made by the Hungarian government.
Ukraine proposed to the EU the use of the Odessa-Brody pipeline as an alternative for oil transportation to the EU while the Druzhba pipeline remains out of commission.
On February 27, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced the formation of a joint investigative commission with Slovakia to assess the condition of the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine.
On March 11, a Hungarian delegation reportedly arrived in Ukraine, led by State Secretary Gábor Chepek, to evaluate the pipeline’s status and discuss the resumption of oil transit to Hungary. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he was unaware of any such visit, as no arrangements had been made with the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
On March 17, Zelensky confirmed in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa that Ukraine had agreed to the EU’s proposal for financial and technical support for the repair of the Druzhba pipeline.
On March 18, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tikhy clarified that access to strategic facilities is managed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). He noted that an EU official mentioned that a technical team from the EU was already in Ukraine, awaiting access to the damaged Druzhba pipeline.
Ukraine has presented a systematic recovery plan for the Druzhba oil pipeline, which was damaged by a Russian attack, to EU officials. The discussions included collaborative actions for restoration and highlighted the importance of EU support amid ongoing transit challenges.