A group of EU financiers has still not been allowed to access the Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine
A group of European experts who arrived in Kyiv to assess the damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline has not yet received official permission to inspect the site of the Russian missile strike. The European experts are ready to immediately go to the site to determine the timing and cost of restoration work, but the Ukrainian side is currently continuing the procedure for security checks on the delegation.
The European Commission is commenting on the situation with restraint, emphasizing the lack of new data on the progress of the mission. European Commission spokeswoman for energy Anna-Kaissa Itkonen said during a briefing on Monday, March 23, that she did not have updated information to provide to the press.
“I do not have updated information on this mission to provide you,” she said.
This position was also confirmed by the European Commission’s deputy chief spokeswoman, Arianna Podesta, noting that the data released last week remains relevant.
“Last week, we noted that there was a group of experts who were ready for this mission. We have no new information to share on this matter,” Podesta said.
Despite the delay in allowing experts to enter, the European Union has positively assessed Ukraine’s readiness to repair the damaged section of the pipeline within the next six weeks. Brussels has offered Kyiv financial and technical support to resume the transit of raw materials to Hungary and Slovakia as soon as possible.
At the same time, the issue of resuming the Druzhba pipeline has acquired a sharp political color due to Budapest’s position. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, while in Brussels at a meeting of the European Council, openly stated that his country would block any initiatives beneficial to Ukraine until the transportation of oil from Russia is fully restored. In turn, the head of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, Peter Szijjarto, expressed his belief that the Ukrainian side will be forced to take this step due to economic factors.
“Ukraine will be forced to resume supplies of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline because it will run out of money,” he concluded.
At the moment, the situation remains uncertain, since the duration of security checks for foreign specialists is not disclosed.
