Hungary and Slovakia demand resumption of Russian oil transit via Druzhba pipeline
During a meeting of the EU Coordination Group on Oil, Hungary and Slovakia stated the need to resume the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline and accused Ukraine of unwillingness to restart supplies.
According to Censor.NET, this information was provided to a correspondent of European Truth by an EU official familiar with the discussion, on condition of anonymity.
Demanded to resume transit
At a meeting of the consultative group on oil issues, Hungary and Slovakia demanded that Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline be resumed.
"Hungary and Slovakia raised the issue of Druzhba at the oil coordination group meeting this morning," a source told EuroPravda.
He said that representatives of both countries demanded that oil transit from Russia via Druzhba be resumed and accused Ukraine of unwillingness to do so despite having the technical capabilities to do so.
"The next meeting of the oil coordination group may take place next week," the official said.
The main part of the discussion of the Coordination Group on Oil on March 4, which took place at the expert level, was devoted to overcoming the consequences of events in Iran and the Middle East for oil supplies to the EU.
Experts have stated that there are currently no problems with security of supply, but rising prices and possible long-term consequences could pose a serious problem for the European Union.
"At present, EU countries are not planning any coordinated measures in the field of oil supplies," the source said.
What preceded it
- On January 27, Russian occupation forces struck a critical infrastructure facility belonging to the Naftogaz group in western Ukraine. The target of the attack was likely Ukraine's largest oil pumping station, located in Brody, which supplies the southern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline.
- The prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia, Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico, accused Ukraine of delaying the restoration of the oil pipeline due to "political motives," and on February 18, the authorities of these two countries announced the suspension of oil exports to Ukraine in response to Ukraine's halt of Russian oil transit.
- EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova appealed to the Office of the President of Ukraine with a request to grant permission to inspect the damaged Druzhba pipeline or to send other European diplomats there, but received a refusal in response.
