Ukraine is facing pressure to allow the European Union to inspect the damaged Druzhba oil pipeline leading to Hungary and Slovakia after the leaders of both countries accused Kyiv of exaggerating the impact of Russian attacks on the pipeline, writes the Financial Times.
On Tuesday, in response to Viktor Orbán's demand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview that the Druzhba oil pipeline had been bombed by the Russians on several occasions, and that Ukrainian technicians working on repairs had also been attacked. "Why didn't Orbán accuse the Russians of bombing? I already explained to Fico: the pipeline has been destroyed, we need a ceasefire to repair it, and this must be made clear to Putin," Zelensky said.
Ukraine claimed that more time was needed to repair the pipeline, while Hungary and Slovakia insisted that Kyiv had deliberately "turned off the tap." In recent weeks, the issue of the oil pipeline has become one of the main campaign topics for Viktor Orbán, so much so that at the end of February, the public media loyal to the government only mentioned the Ukrainians in their coverage of the issue, making no mention of Russian involvement. The Hungarian PM has repeatedly accused the EU of not standing by Hungary in the matter of the Druzhba oil pipeline.
Citing five EU diplomats and officials, the Financial Times now writes that the European Commission and some pro-Ukraine EU governments are also urging Kyiv to allow a visit during which the EU can verify that Ukraine is making efforts to repair the oil pipeline. Two diplomats told the newspaper that Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and António Costa, President of the European Council, specifically asked the Ukrainian leadership during their recent visit to Kyiv to be allowed to assess the situation of the oil pipeline. According to Financial Times sources, the Ukrainians rejected their request on security grounds.
The question of oil has become even more pressing after the US-Israeli attack on Iran greatly affected global oil and gas supplies and energy prices.
A high-ranking Ukrainian official told the Financial Times that Ukraine had provided the EU with sufficient evidence of the condition of the oil pipeline. Serhiy Koretsky, owner of the Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz, said that the Russian strike ignited a tank containing approximately 75,000 cubic meters of oil, which caused a huge fire. He said that given the size of the fire, assessing the extent of the damage would take more time, and repairs would put workers' lives at risk.
Zelensky told the Financial Times that he believes Orbán wants to use the situation with the oil pipeline in his election campaign. Katarína Mathernová, the European Union's ambassador to Ukraine, also requested that EU diplomats be allowed to inspect the pipeline, but Ukraine rejected this request as well, citing security concerns.
On Monday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán published satellite images that he said prove that there are no technical obstacles to restarting the Druzhba oil pipeline, which was damaged in the Russian attack. Zelensky responded on Tuesday, saying, "You can see reservoirs from the satellite, a large reservoir that has been torn apart. The control center cannot be seen from a satellite. The pipeline is underground. How could Orbán see what is happening to the pipeline underground? I am surprised by this, but anything can happen."
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