The European Commission has urged Ukraine to repair the Druzhba oil pipeline after a Russian attack damaged it on January 27 in the Lviv region. The incident halted the transit of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia.
European Commission spokespersons Anna-Kaisa Itkonen and Siobhán McGarry announced this during a briefing.
Details
At the same time, the European Commission granted Hungary temporary permission to import Russian oil via Croatia’s Adria pipeline.
The EU stressed that the sanctions exemption is temporary and will remain in force until Ukraine completes repairs on the Druzhba pipeline or until a full ban on Russian oil imports takes effect. Hungary and Slovakia must submit reports on import volumes to the European Commission every three months.
The Commission remains in contact with Ukraine regarding the timeline for restoring the pipeline’s operations, while noting that the incident occurred for reasons beyond Ukraine’s control.
EU representatives stated that no short-term risks threaten the energy security of Hungary and Slovakia, as both countries maintain 90-day oil reserves.
Context
Earlier, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukraine of delaying the pipeline’s restoration for political reasons.
Croatian Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar confirmed his country’s readiness to assist with transit but refused to supply Russian oil. The EU emphasized that ensuring the energy security of member states remains the priority and that the situation with Druzhba does not pose an urgent threat.
Previously, The Ukrainian Review reported that Russia’s oil and gas sector suffered losses exceeding 1 trillion rubles in 2025. Systematic Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries caused direct infrastructure damage and significant profit losses. Continuous strikes have turned Russia’s energy sector into a high-risk zone for investors and insurers.
