Zelensky Says Druzhba Pipeline Ready, EU Loan for Ukraine Nearer

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine has completed repairs on the damaged section of the Druzhba oil pipeline, opening the way for the resumption of Russian oil transit to Hungary and Slovakia and potentially clearing a major obstacle to the release of a 90 billion euro EU loan for Kyiv.

The southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline had been out of operation since late January after what Kyiv described as damage caused by a Russian strike. The shutdown created serious tensions with Hungary and Slovakia, two EU member states heavily dependent on the route for crude oil supplies. Before the disruption, the pipeline covered nearly all of Slovakia’s oil imports and between 86% and 92% of Hungary’s.

“Ukraine has completed repair work on the section of the Druzhba oil pipeline that was damaged by a Russian strike. The pipeline is now ready to resume operations,” Zelensky said on April 21. He added that while future attacks could not be ruled out, Ukrainian specialists had restored the infrastructure and laid the groundwork for full operation. “Although no one can guarantee that Russian attacks on the oil pipeline infrastructure will not happen again, our experts have laid the groundwork for restoring the system and equipment to full operation,” he said.

According to a Reuters source from the industry, oil transit is expected to restart on April 22. A Hungarian oil company has already submitted the first transit request, with the initial deliveries expected to be divided equally between Hungary and Slovakia.

Zelensky linked the pipeline issue directly to the long-delayed EU financial package for Ukraine, expressing hope that Brussels would now unblock the 90 billion euro loan. “Ukraine has fulfilled the request made by the European Union,” he said, noting that he had discussed the matter with European Council President Antonio Costa.

The financial assistance had been blocked by Hungary, which argued that the interruption of Russian oil transit created unacceptable economic risks. Budapest and Bratislava accused Kyiv of deliberately restricting transit for political reasons, an accusation Ukraine rejected. The dispute escalated further in February, when both Hungary and Slovakia suspended diesel exports to Ukraine.

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said after the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg that Bratislava had received signals suggesting supplies could resume, but stressed that actual deliveries had not yet been confirmed. He added that Slovakia would be prepared to support further EU sanctions against Russia, including another sanctions package, but only after oil transit was restored.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also signaled progress, saying that “a positive decision” on the loan could be expected within 24 hours. The issue was included in the agenda for the April 22 meeting of permanent representatives, which is seen as the final procedural step before the funds can be released.

Hungary’s outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, long viewed as the EU’s most Kremlin-friendly leader, had made the pipeline dispute a central part of his political messaging, accusing Ukraine of carrying out “energy blackmail.” In a letter to Antonio Costa dated April 20, Orbán said Brussels had informed Budapest that Ukraine was prepared to restart transit. He added that once flows resume, Hungary would remove its veto on the loan “without delay.”