European Union officials are working to facilitate the repair of the Druzhba oil pipeline, offering both financial and technical support to Ukraine, according to statements made Wednesday by European Council President António Costa. The move comes as the EU seeks to address energy security concerns for Hungary and Slovakia, which rely on the pipeline for oil imports.
The issue of the Druzhba pipeline has been a point of contention within the EU, surfacing during a recent summit of state and government heads. Hungary blocked several decisions, including a €90 billion ($96.7 billion) aid package for Ukraine agreed upon in December, demanding the resumption of oil flow through the pipeline. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán maintained his position at the summit, arguing that circumstances had changed.
Several EU leaders criticized Orbán’s stance as a breach of previous agreements. Costa stated after the meeting that state and government heads voiced strong condemnation of Orbán’s approach, with 20 out of 26 leaders reportedly speaking out against it, according to EUrologus.
During a session of the European Parliament on Wednesday, Costa primarily discussed Iran and the summit’s original focus – boosting competitiveness. He indicated that decisive steps had been taken toward that goal. He then addressed the Druzhba pipeline, emphasizing that Russia was responsible for the damage.
Costa stated that Ukraine – based on Hungarian interpretation of written assurances – has committed to repairs within the next few weeks. He added, “Orbán’s behavior is ‘politically unacceptable’ blackmail, which he is using for the election campaign. ‘It clearly violates’ the EU’s founding treaties, the principle of decent faith cooperation with a condition that can be fulfilled by non-EU bodies, that Russia can destroy the pipeline again after 23 previous attacks.”
He emphasized that decisions should not be dependent on Russia, adding, “This proves unacceptable that our decisions depend on the decisions of Russia.”
The Patriots for Europe (PfE) faction is calling on the European Commission and the Council to ensure the safety of European citizens, highlighting an energy security gap. According to the group, the intentional closure of the Druzhba pipeline by Ukraine is severely jeopardizing the energy supply of Hungary and Slovakia. The Hungarian government maintains that the pipeline is operational and only requires a political decision to restart.
Kinga Gál, the president of the Fidesz–KDNP delegation, expressed concern over the lack of explicit support for Hungary and Slovakia in this situation. She stated, “We miss the clear condemnation of the death threats against the Hungarian Prime Minister and his family from the Ukrainian side.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously suggested that if someone continued to block aid, “we will give his address to the armed forces – let them talk to him in their own language.” The European Commission deemed Zelenskyy’s remarks unacceptable.
Gál too noted the absence of condemnation regarding alleged wiretapping of Hungary’s foreign minister, viewing it as open interference in Hungarian elections. She stated that only one request from Hungary remains pending approval from the European Commission within the SAFE defense credit program. “It is openly stated that they want to change the government in Hungary, to remove the prime minister who stands up for national interests, therefore they think everything is allowed, whether it is withholding money, blackmail, oil blockade, threats and wiretapping.” She believes the Commission’s decision will “completely discredit” the body and further harm European cooperation, but that PfE will continue to grow in strength in Hungary on April 12.
