Finance
Kremlin Says Russia Is Ready to Resume Druzhba Oil Flows if Kyiv Opens the Pipeline
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 21, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 21, 2026
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Russia says it's technically ready to resume oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia if Ukraine ends its “blackmail” by reopening the pipeline; Ukraine says partial repairs will allow limited functionality by end‑April, aligning with EU loan discussions.
Kremlin: Russia Technically Ready to Restart Druzhba Oil Flows to Europe
Dispute Over Druzhba Pipeline and Oil Supply to Europe
Background of the Suspension
MOSCOW, April 21 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia was technically ready to resume oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia if and when Ukraine ended what Moscow called its "blackmail".
Hungary's outgoing government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Slovakia have been in dispute with Ukraine over the suspension of Russian oil supplies over Ukrainian territory through the Soviet-era pipeline.
Ukrainian Perspective
Kyiv says the pipeline was shut due to a Russian attack in late January. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview broadcast on Monday that it would be put back into operation by the end of April.
Russian Response
Kremlin's Statement
"As things stand, you are aware that the Russian side remains technically ready. We have contractual obligations with Hungary. But following the start of the Kyiv regime’s blackmail, deliveries have been halted," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"Everything depends on the Kyiv regime – whether they will open the pipeline and put an end to the blackmail," he said.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov, Writing by Anna Peverieri;Editing by Andrew Osborn)
Key Takeaways
- •Russia is prepared to restart Druzhba oil deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia once Ukraine reopens the pipeline, calling Kyiv’s stance “blackmail” (Reuters, April 21)
- •Ukraine intends to have the pipeline partially operational by end of April after repairing damage from a Russian strike (Zelenskiy, April 14)
- •Hungary and Slovakia have leveraged the pipeline stoppage in EU politics: Hungary is blocking a €90 billion loan to Ukraine and Slovakia has threatened to cut emergency power to Kyiv amid the dispute (AP, Feb 21; Al Jazeera, Feb 23)
Frequently Asked Questions about Kremlin says Russia is ready to resume Druzhba oil flows if Kyiv opens the pipeline
1Why was the Druzhba pipeline shut down?
Ukraine shut the Druzhba pipeline after a Russian attack in late January, according to Kyiv.
2Which countries are affected by the Druzhba pipeline suspension?
Hungary and Slovakia are impacted as their Russian oil supply through the Druzhba pipeline was halted.
3What is Russia's position on resuming oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline?
Russia says it is technically ready to resume oil deliveries once Ukraine reopens the pipeline.
4When might the Druzhba pipeline be put back into operation?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated it could be operational by the end of April.
5What does the Kremlin accuse Ukraine of regarding the pipeline?
The Kremlin accuses Ukraine of 'blackmail' over the suspension and says reopening is Ukraine's decision.
