Finance
Ukraine Accepts EU Offer to Help Restore Druzhba Pipeline
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 17, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 17, 2026
Quick Summary
Ukraine has accepted EU technical and financial support to repair the Druzhba oil pipeline, with repair works nearing completion. Restoration could be possible within 1–1.5 months, potentially unblocking EU oil flows and resolving a loan impasse with Hungary and Slovakia.
Ukraine Accepts EU Offer to Help Restore Oil Flow via Druzhba Pipeline
EU Support and Developments in Druzhba Pipeline Restoration
Ukraine's Acceptance of EU Technical Support
BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - Ukraine has accepted the European Union's offer of technical support and funding to restore oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia through the damaged Druzhba pipeline, EU Council President Antonio Costa said on Tuesday.
Progress on Pipeline Repairs
In a letter to the EU, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said repair work on the pipeline was nearing completion and that the pumping station was expected to be restored in one and a half months, "in the absence of any further attacks by Russia."
Hungary's Position and Ongoing Oil Flow Suspension
Hungary's Block on EU Loan and Sanctions
Hungary on Monday said it would continue blocking a 90-billion-euro ($103 billion) loan for Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia as long as oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline remained suspended.
Dispute Over Responsibility for Suspension
Russian oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia have been suspended since late January. Kyiv says a Russian strike hit Druzhba pipeline equipment in western Ukraine, while Slovakia and Hungary say Ukraine is to blame for the prolonged outage.
Ukraine's Response to Allegations
"Allegations that Ukraine is deliberately obstructing oil transportation through the Druzhba pipeline are unfounded," Zelenskiy said in his letter to Costa and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
EU and Ukraine Commitments Moving Forward
Importance of Resuming Oil Flows
In a letter to Zelenskiy, both EU leaders said the resumption of oil flows through Ukraine was of great importance to preserve market stability and would be in line with Ukraine's contractual obligations.
Planned Phase-Out of Russian Oil Imports
They also reiterated their commitment to the earlier announced phase-out of all remaining oil imports from Russia by the end of 2027.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Tomasz Janowski)
Key Takeaways
- •Ukraine accepted the EU’s offer of technical support and funding to repair the Druzhba oil pipeline, aiming to restore flows to Hungary and Slovakia (accepted as of March 17, 2026).
- •Ukrainian President Zelenskiy stated repair work is nearing completion and estimated the pumping station could be restored within 1–1.5 months if no further Russian attacks occur, aligning with comments from Naftogaz CEO Koretskyi (euronews.com).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Ukraine accepts EU offer to help restore Druzhba pipeline
1Why was the Druzhba pipeline oil supply suspended?
The oil supply was suspended after a Russian strike damaged Druzhba pipeline equipment in western Ukraine in late January.
2What support did the EU offer Ukraine for the pipeline restoration?
The EU offered technical support and funding to help restore oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia.
