According to the publication, the pipeline has been out of operation since January following a strike carried out by Russian forces and has become a subject of conflict between Ukraine and Hungary. Kyiv believes that restoring transit under the current conditions would contribute to the weakening of sanctions against Russia.
Zelensky noted in a conversation with journalists: "I am being forced to resume the oil pipeline. How is this different from lifting sanctions on the Russians?" — commenting on the demands to restore oil pumping.
Politico also reports that Budapest accuses Kyiv of deliberately delaying the process of restoring infrastructure in order to provoke an energy crisis in Hungary. In this context, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as the publication claims, is blocking the provision of a new financial package to Ukraine.
On March 14, the Ukrainian company "Naftogaz" held a briefing for diplomats from 31 countries, where it presented information about the consequences of the January strike on the "Druzhba" pipeline. The company emphasized that restoring such facilities requires time, special equipment, and continuous work by specialists amid ongoing threats.
An additional factor complicating the situation has been the rise in global oil prices caused by supply disruptions due to the conflict in Iran.
