Pipeline Repairs Slow, Ukraine Says

Ukraine's president told reporters that fixing the Druzhba oil line will not be quick, even though the EU and Hungary want it done fast.
The pipe that moves Russian oil into Europe stopped working after a strike in western Ukraine on January 27.
Hungary and Slovakia blame Kyiv for the delay, while Ukraine says Russian attacks keep damaging the line that links Odesa to Druzhba.

• The EU’s Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv and urged Ukraine to speed up repairs, but the president reminded that attacks have already hit the pipeline.
• He added that Ukrainian workers were hurt in the process and that the repairs are difficult.

Despite the war, Ukraine still moves Russian oil through its territory, though it stopped gas transit last year.
Hungary’s prime minister accused Kyiv of delaying the restart for political reasons and said Ukraine was applying pressure on both Hungary and Slovakia by blocking oil.

Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian power plants and the gas sector, cutting production by about half and forcing more imports from Europe. Some of that power comes from Hungary and Slovakia, who have warned they might stop emergency electricity exports because of the Druzhba dispute.

Ukraine has also suggested a pause in attacks and offered an energy truce to Moscow, while its national oil company reported 60 Russian drones hitting facilities in the north and east.
The situation remains tense, with ongoing strikes on gas storage and production sites.