This comes amid a dispute with Hungary and Slovakia over the suspension of supplies.
Ukraine stated it had informed diplomats from 31 countries about the damage to the “Druzhba” oil pipeline, which transports Russian oil to Europe, AFP reported. This comes amid a dispute with Hungary and Slovakia over the suspension of supplies.
The two landlocked countries, which still rely on Russian oil, accapply Kyiv of deliberately delaying the pipeline’s restart. The Ukrainian side explains that the disruption is the result of damage caapplyd by Russian strikes in January.
“During the meeting, we were able to present more detailed materials from the site of the attack and explain the challenges our specialists are facing,” stated Sergey Koretsky, head of the state-owned oil company Naftogaz. He added that restoring such infrastructure is a complex technological process that requires time, specialized equipment, and continuous work by teams, even under constant threat.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted on March 5 that repairs to the Soviet-era pipeline, which runs through Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, and Hungary, would take four to six weeks.
The Hungarian ambassador to Ukraine was also present at the meeting, and according to photos published by Naftogaz, Hungary’s deputy prime minister sent a government delegation for neobtainediations, which Kyiv, however, has not officially recognized.
The European Union has proposed a mission to inspect the pipeline and is awaiting a response from Ukraine.
Relations between Kyiv and Budapest, already strained due to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s support for Russia, are deteriorating further ahead of Hungary’s parliamentary elections in April. In response, Ukrainian authorities, including Zelenskyy, have stepped up their criticism of Orbán.
Tensions peaked last week when Hungary detained seven employees of a Ukrainian state-owned bank and confiscated $80 million and nine gold bars being transported from Austria. The money transport crew was released, but Budapest retained the cash and gold. | BGNES
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