Ukraine has completed repairs on the damaged Druzhba oil pipeline and is ready to resume operations, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday. He cautioned, however, that there is no guarantee Russia will not target the infrastructure again.
The repairs have caused delays in approving a €90 billion EU loan aimed at supporting Ukraine’s military and economy, a decision blocked by Hungary and Slovakia.
Zelenskyy stated that the pipeline repair is linked to the release of European support funds, which EU officials hope to approve soon. Despite the repairs, he noted the risk of further Russian attacks.
The war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022, has resulted in significant destruction and displacement. Zelenskyy has been hesitant to allow Russian oil to transit through Ukraine.
Speaking in Luxembourg, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed optimism that an agreement would be reached soon. Meanwhile, European Council President António Costa thanked Zelenskyy for restoring the pipeline’s operation.
Initially, the EU planned to use frozen Russian assets as loan collateral, but Belgium blocked the plan. A prior agreement among several countries to facilitate borrowing was undermined by Orbán’s later objections, contributing to political tensions in the region.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
