Hungary's MOL Notified of Druzhba Pipeline Resumption After Ukraine Repair Completion

BUDAPEST, April 22. /TASS/. Hungarian company MOL received official notification from the Ukrainian operator of the Druzhba oil pipeline regarding its readiness to resume oil transit from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia. "JSC Ukrtransnafta, the company responsible for operating the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline, has officially informed MOL that repair works on the Druzhba Pipeline have been completed and that the force majeure conditions in effect since 27 January 2026 ceased as of 6pm on 21 April 2026. According to the notification, JSC Ukrtransnafta is ready to resume crude oil transit to Hungary and Slovakia," MOL said in a statement on its website. The Druzhba pipeline, which supplies oil from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia, has been out of service since January 27. Kiev claimed that one of the associated facilities had been damaged during military operations, forcing transit to be halted along the entire route. Budapest and Bratislava claimed that, according to their information, repairs had long been completed, the pipeline was operational, and that Ukraine was blocking supplies only for political reasons. Ukrainian authorities did not allow EU specialists to inspect the Druzhba pipeline. In response, Hungary blocked a €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine, stating that "as long as there is no oil, there will be no money." According to reports from Brussels, the issue of providing Kiev with the loan will be discussed at a meeting of EU permanent representatives on Wednesday. Hungary is expected to drop its objections if oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline are resumed. Due to Ukraine's suspension of Russian oil transit, the Hungarian government was forced to provide MOL with crude from its state strategic reserves. The company uses Russian oil at its refineries located in Szazhalombatta, Hungary, and Bratislava, Slovakia. These refineries supply Central and Eastern European countries. Hungary receives over 80% of its oil consumption via the Druzhba pipeline.