Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that the damaged Druzhba oil pipeline will be at least partially operational again by the end of April. At the same time, however, he suggested that the move was linked to expectations that Hungary would stop blocking a €90 billion European loan to support Ukraine.

Zelensky spoke alongside the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at a press conference in Berlin. He said the repairs to the pipeline would not be fully completed, but its capacity would be sufficient to resume operations.

According to him, there is a link between this move and the attitude of some EU member states, especially Hungary, which has so far blocked key decisions on financial aid to Ukraine.

The Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian oil through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia, has become one of the main points of tension between the European Union and Budapest. After it was damaged in a drone attack in January, Hungary's then-prime minister Viktor Orbán withdrew support for the loan to help fund Ukraine's defence against Russia.

However, the situation may change after the recent electoral victory of Péter Magyar, who has indicated his willingness to lift the blockade. European states are thus hoping for a quick unblocking of financial aid.

Chancellor Merz stressed that the approved funds must be released as soon as possible. He said that Ukraine urgently needs funding for military aid, especially at a time when the war with Russia is now in its fifth year.

The meeting in Berlin was the first joint governmental consultation between the two countries in more than twenty years. It resulted in several agreements, including on the joint development of new weapons systems and efforts to reduce dependence on supplies from the United States.

gnews.cz - GH