Ukrainian government sources informed officials in Hungary and Slovakia that pumping of Russian oil has restarted, ending a months-long deadlock over a €90 billion European Union loan deemed vital for Kyiv's war effort. The move came after Ukraine confirmed repairs were completed on the Druzhba pipeline, damaged by a Russian attack in January, which had halted supplies since late January. The EU loan, agreed last December, was vetoed by Hungary in February, linking its approval to the resumption of oil transit.
EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels gave preliminary approval to the loan package, alongside a 20th package of sanctions targeting Russia. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated ahead of the meeting, "Ukraine really needs this loan and it's also a sign that Russia cannot outlast Ukraine." The loan's release is now expected to be formally signed off on Thursday, following the restoration of oil flows.
Hungary's outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who suffered an election defeat last Sunday ending his 16-year tenure, had demanded oil deliveries resume before the loan could be paid. Orbán, acting as caretaker until early next month, clarified over the weekend that once oil transit was restored, "we will no longer stand in the way of approving the loan." Hungary's incoming leader, Péter Magyar, has prioritized resetting Budapest's strained relations with Brussels.
Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova reported being told by Ukrainian pipeline operator Ukrtransnafta that pressurization of the pipeline began Wednesday morning, with crude oil set to flow into Slovakia on Thursday for the first time since January 27. Hungarian energy firm MOL expects the first supplies by Thursday at the latest. The exact volume of pumping remains unclear, but a Ukrainian source indicated transit commenced at 12:35 local time on Wednesday.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka described the EU funding as "a matter of life and death" for Kyiv, with two-thirds allocated to bolstering defense needs and the remainder for broader financial assistance. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed unblocking the loan with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council head António Costa, asserting, "There can be no grounds for blocking it any more... We have repaired [the pipeline]. We hope the EU will also deliver on the agreed commitments."
In the lead-up to Hungary's bitterly contested election this month, Orbán accused Ukraine of imposing an "oil blockade" on Hungary and Slovakia, alleging collusion between Kyiv and the EU against him. Satellite imagery from late January suggested substantial damage to a major oil tank in Brody, western Ukraine, with Kyiv citing ongoing repairs and Russian attacks on engineers. Meanwhile, Ukraine has targeted Russian oil facilities, including a pumping station in Samara linked to the Druzhba pipeline this week.
Orbán's decision to renege on the December agreement infuriated EU leaders, who had granted opt-outs to Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Long viewed as the EU's closest partner to Vladimir Putin, Orbán centered his failed campaign on hostility toward Zelenskyy and the EU, with campaign posters across Hungary depicting Zelenskyy alongside Magyar under the caption "They are dangerous!" Ukrainian media report that it could still take weeks for the funds to reach Kyiv, despite the breakthrough.
Source: www.bbc.com