Oil supplies to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline have resumed after more than three months. According to Reuters, oil began flowing into the country shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Thursday, bringing to a close a serious energy crisis affecting the entire Central European region.

The supply disruption occurred on 27 January 2026 after a key section of the pipeline on Ukrainian territory was damaged. The Ukrainian authorities subsequently halted transit to allow for repairs to the infrastructure. The outage immediately affected mainly Slovakia and Hungary, which remain heavily dependent on Russian oil supplies via Druzhba.

Slovakia responded by declaring an energy crisis and looking for alternative solutions. The Slovnaft refinery was forced to partly use alternative supplies, for example via the Adria pipeline, but at the same time it also drew on strategic reserves. The situation once again showed the country's high level of dependence on one transit corridor, Reuters notes.

The resumption of the pipeline's operation was not only a technical issue, but also a major political issue. Both Slovakia and Hungary have repeatedly criticised Ukraine for the slow pace of repairs and have pushed for the fastest possible restart. Bratislava has even threatened to block new European Union sanctions against Russia if transit is not resumed, AP reported.

The tensions were also reflected at the European level. The oil shortage was one of the factors that complicated the negotiations on financial aid for Ukraine. In this context, Hungary blocked the approval of a large European Union loan package until the supply issue was resolved.

The Druzhba pipeline, one of the largest in the world, remains a key artery for Russian oil supplies to parts of Europe after more than three years of war in Ukraine. Although the European Union is seeking to reduce its dependence on Russian energy sources, some countries, including Slovakia, do not yet have a full-fledged alternative, Reuters notes.

While the recent resumption of supplies has calmed the immediate situation, experts warn that transit stability remains uncertain. According to the Guardian, the energy infrastructure remains at risk of further attacks, which could cause new outages in the future.

gnews.cz - GH