Finance
Czechs Ready to Start Work to Reverse Druzhba Oil Flows to Slovakia
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 18, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 18, 2026
Quick Summary
Czech Industry Minister Karel Havlíček announced on March 18 that the Czech Republic is ready to invest up to CZK 1 billion (about US $47 million) to reverse oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline to supply Slovakia in response to disruptions caused by a Russian strike in Ukraine.
Czech Republic Prepares to Reverse Druzhba Oil Pipeline Flow Toward Slovakia
Plans and Implications for Druzhba Pipeline Reversal
Background of Pipeline Disruption
PRAGUE, March 18 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic is prepared to invest in the Druzhba pipeline to allow flows of oil to Slovakia, Industry Minister Karel Havlicek said on Wednesday.
Slovakia, along with Hungary, has been cut off from Russian oil deliveries via Ukraine since late January as Kyiv repairs damage to the Druzhba pipeline it says was caused by a Russian strike.
Slovakia and Hungary have accused Ukraine of dragging its feet on repairs but Kyiv says it needs time.
Czech Republic’s Shift Away from Russian Oil
The Czechs stopped using Russian supplies via Druzhba last year after expanding the TAL pipeline running from Italy to Germany before feeding into a connector. Prague has previously mentioned the possibility of reversing the flow of the Czech section of the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia.
Investment and Technical Measures
"We offered Slovakia the possibility of using the reverse flow of the Druzhba. In other words, we are ready to start investing in technical measures so that oil can be supplied from the Czech Republic to Slovakia," Havlicek said after meeting in Prague with Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova.
Havlicek said the investment would be up to 1 billion Czech crowns ($47 million) initially.
Potential Oil Flow and Capacity
Tens of thousands of tons of oil a month could flow that way to Slovakia in an emergency regime, the ministers said, while annual capacity could rise in the next two to three years to 2 million to 3 million tons.
Exchange Rate Information
($1 = 21.2760 Czech crowns)
($1 = 21.2570 Czech crowns)
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Key Takeaways
- •Slovakia and Hungary were cut off from Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline since January 27 due to damage from a reported Russian drone strike (en.wikipedia.org).
- •The Czech Republic, having already diversified away from Russian oil via the TAL/IKL route, is offering emergency reverse flow to Slovakia, with initial capacity of tens of thousands of tons/month and potential scaling to 2–3 million t/year (apnews.com).
- •This move comes amid heightened regional tensions in the 2026 Slovak–Ukraine oil dispute, where Slovakia and Hungary are struggling to mitigate energy shortages after disruptions to Druzhba transit (en.wikipedia.org)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Czechs ready to start work to reverse Druzhba oil flows to Slovakia
1Why does Slovakia need oil from the Czech Republic via Druzhba pipeline?
Slovakia was cut off from Russian oil deliveries due to damage to the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine and needs alternative supply routes.
2What investment is planned by the Czech Republic for the Druzhba pipeline?
The Czech Republic is prepared to invest up to 1 billion Czech crowns (about $47 million) initially for technical measures to reverse the oil flow.
3What is the expected capacity of the reversed Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia?
In emergency regime, tens of thousands of tons per month could flow, with annual capacity potentially rising to 2–3 million tons within 2–3 years.
4Why did the Czechs stop using Russian oil via Druzhba?
The Czech Republic stopped using Russian supplies after expanding the TAL pipeline from Italy to Germany, which provides an alternative supply.
5Who are the key ministers involved in the Druzhba pipeline discussions?
Czech Industry Minister Karel Havlicek and Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova discussed the pipeline investment and reverse flow plans.
