The European Union has decided to provide Ukraine with financial and technical support to restore oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia. The Ukrainian side has already agreed to this assistance.
This is reported by Finway
EU Support for Energy Infrastructure Restoration
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reported that following new Russian attacks on the Druzhba pipeline on January 27, which caused a halt in crude oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, the EU organized a series of intensive consultations with member states and Ukraine. The aim of the discussions was to promptly restore fuel transit to the mentioned countries.
“The EU has offered Ukraine technical support and funding. The Ukrainian side welcomed and accepted this proposal. European experts are ready to start working immediately,” von der Leyen noted.
She also emphasized that the main task is to ensure energy security for all citizens of Europe.
Searching for Alternative Transit Routes
The European Union is considering the possibility of creating alternative routes for transporting non-Russian crude oil to Central and Eastern European countries. This aims to enhance the region’s energy independence and reduce its vulnerability to external threats.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted in his letter to EU leadership that it will take approximately one and a half months to fully restore transit through the Druzhba pipeline after the damage caused by Russian strikes.