Ukraine blocks EU mission to inspect Druzhba oil pipeline, divides EU
Ukraine's decision not to supply Druzhba divides European Union, media report (photo: Getty Images)
Ukraine's decision to block EU mission from inspecting Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, has divided and disappointed some European Union countries, Euractiv reports.
"Not smart," "an enigma," and "unclear" — these are the words European diplomats use to describe Kyiv's obstruction of the team sent to inspect the damaged pipeline.
"We don't have a clear picture of what the Ukrainian play here is," one of the publication's sources said.
The EU inspection group, consisting of national experts and coordinated by the European Commission, has been in Ukraine for several weeks, awaiting approval from Kyiv to visit the site of the latest attack on the critical energy pipeline.
So far, such permission has not been granted.
"If Druzhba is deblocked, all sides win," another EU diplomat said, calling the delay "an enigma."
"EU wants to adopt another sanctions package and put pressure on Russia, Ukraine needs the loan, Hungary and Slovakia are critically dependent on the flows of oil and are running on reserves or setting double prices," the Euractiv source explained.
At the same time, other diplomats were more sympathetic to Ukraine.
"On a human level, you can understand why you would repair something that is financing the war machine of the other side?" one EU diplomat said.
Other diplomats stressed that "it's an absurd situation" and that Ukraine is "a country at war."
"We in the EU are moving away from Russian gas and oil. It is doable to have alternatives. Everything around Druzhba should be seen in that context," a third diplomat said.
Situation around Druzhba
At the end of January, Russia struck the Druzhba pipeline. Due to the attack, the transit of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia was completely halted.
Instead of criticizing Moscow for the attack on Druzhba, Budapest and Bratislava accused Ukraine of delaying the restoration of the pipeline for political reasons.
The conflict escalated after an ultimatum from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who blocked 90 billion euros in EU funding, demanding the restoration of Russian oil transit through Druzhba.
In response, the European Commission stated its readiness to help repair the damaged section of the pipeline.
At the same time, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had no information about the EU mission to Druzhba previously reported by the media.
On March 19, it became known that EU experts had arrived in Ukraine to inspect the pipeline damaged as a result of a Russian attack.
