Hungary sends team to Kyiv over Druzhba oil pipeline, demanding its inspection

The Hungarian delegation is traveling to Ukraine to negotiate the resumption of the Druzhba pipeline’s operations and to inspect its condition.

“On the way to Kyiv!” the Hungarian official said in his statement.

Delegation will talk not only with the Ukrainian government

Czepek said that Hungary’s delegation aims to hold talks not only with the Ukrainian government but also with a European Commission representative on the pipeline’s restart.

“This oil belongs to Hungary. It is not subject to EU or US sanctions. This oil is ours,” he said.

Apart from the state secretary, the delegation to Ukraine includes an oil industry specialist, a government official experienced in international relations, and an energy market analyst.

According to Czepek, before heading to Kyiv, the Hungarian delegation was in talks in Bratislava with representatives of the Slovak energy market and government.

Conflict over the Druzhba pipeline

In late February, Viktor Orbán held a talk with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Both premiers disagree with the claim that the Druzhba pipeline cannot be restarted due to technical problems.

Orbán said that for this reason, Hungary and Slovakia want to establish a so-called investigative commission and are demanding access to the facility from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Hungary blocked the EU from granting Ukraine a €90 billion loan, demanding the restoration of Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline.

Budapest promised to lift its veto only after deliveries resume, citing violations of the Association Agreement.

At the beginning of March, the Hungarian prime minister once again accused Ukraine of blocking oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline and threatened to restart its operation by force.