Kiev accepts EU assist and guarantees: «Druzhba pipeline repaired in a month and a half» | EUROtoday

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Pumping of the Druzhba pipeline will be capable to return to its technical capability «inside a month and a half. This will permit the total resumption of oil flows, “obviously in the absence of further attacks by Russia.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote this in a letter addressed to EU leaders through which he focuses on the dispute with Hungary and Slovakia over repairs to the Friendship oil pipeline. “Ukraine can still offer alternative routes for the transit of Russian oil to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe,” Zelensky underlined.

Zelensky’s phrases are available response (affirmative) to the European Union’s provide to assist Kiev in restoring the pipeline.

«Following the renewed Russian assaults on 27 January in opposition to the Druzhba pipeline, which brought about disruption of crude oil provides to Hungary and Slovakia, the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council have began intensive discussions with Member States and Ukraine in any respect ranges to revive the stream of oil to Hungary and Slovakia. The EU provided Ukraine technical assist and financing. The Ukrainians welcomed and accepted the provide. European consultants are instantly out there.” We read in a joint statement by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa. «Our priority is to guarantee energy security for all European citizens. In this sense, the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council will continue to collaborate with interested parties to identify alternative routes for the transit of non-Russian crude oil to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe”, add the EU leaders.

The interruption of the Druzhba pipeline had created robust protests from Slovakia and Hungary, which additionally opened an investigation into the matter. The Ukrainian authorities had to date not prioritized repairing the infrastructure transporting Russian oil. In protest, Budapest maintained its veto on the 90 billion mortgage and the twentieth sanctions bundle in opposition to Russia.