Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on April 21 that the country is awaiting approval for a support package from the European Union, coinciding with the restoration of the Druzhba oil pipeline. This statement followed a meeting focused on energy cooperation with international partners.
Zelensky indicated that agreements for fuel supply to Ukraine have been secured, addressing the country’s needs for April and May. He emphasized the urgency of obtaining necessary funding for restoration efforts and the protection of energy infrastructure during an upcoming meeting of the energy coalition known as “Ramstein.”
“Thirdly, as communicated with the European Union, Ukraine has completed repairs on the section of the Druzhba pipeline that was damaged by a Russian strike. The pipeline is now ready to resume operations,” Zelensky stated.
While he acknowledged the ongoing risk of further Russian attacks on the pipeline’s infrastructure, he noted that Ukrainian specialists have established the essential conditions for the pipeline system and equipment to function again.
“We connect this with the unlocking of the European support package for Ukraine, which has already been approved by the European Council. We hope that our partners will also take appropriate steps regarding the clusters for Ukraine—we have fulfilled our part of the work on the first clusters,” the president added.
Zelensky also underscored the importance of maintaining sanctions against Russia and continuing efforts to diversify energy supplies. “Europe must be independent from those who seek to destroy or weaken it,” he asserted.
In a related development, Peter Madyar, the winner of Hungary’s recent elections, urged President Zelensky to expedite the restoration of the Druzhba pipeline as soon as it becomes operational. Following his electoral victory, Madyar indicated that he would lift the current veto imposed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on a proposed €90 billion loan to Ukraine. However, he clarified that Hungary would not be financially responsible for this loan and expressed opposition to Ukraine’s expedited accession to the EU, linking normalization of relations with Kyiv to the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Zelensky has announced efforts to secure EU support as the Druzhba oil pipeline is set to resume operations following repairs. The situation is compounded by ongoing discussions with Hungary regarding financial aid and energy cooperation.