Zelenskiy: Druzhba pipeline to resume by end-April

Calls to resume flows and dispute over delays

Ukraine’s state energy company Naftogaz declined to comment on when operations would resume. Meanwhile, Hungarian election winner Peter Magyar urged Zelenskiy to reopen the pipeline as soon as it becomes functional and called for Russia to resume oil shipments. Outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the Slovak government have accused Kyiv of delaying repairs, which Ukraine denies.

Background: disruption since January

Hungary and Slovakia have been cut off from Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline since late January, after a Russian drone strike damaged the infrastructure in western Ukraine.