EU experts arrive in Ukraine to inspect Druzhba oil pipeline

European Union experts have arrived in Ukraine to assess the state of the Druzhba oil pipeline, the state energy company Naftogaz said. The closure of the pipeline has sparked a dispute with Slovakia and Hungary, which are blocking approval of an EU loan to Kyiv.

Brussels last week proposed sending a technical mission to inspect the pipeline. Ukraine subsequently confirmed that it had accepted the EU’s offer of both technical and financial assistance to restore the flow of oil through the damaged section.

Russian oil supplies via the Ukrainian branch of the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia have been interrupted since the end of January. Kyiv says the facility in western Ukraine has been damaged by Russian attacks and that repairs will take time.

Naftogaz chief Serhiy Koretskyi said the EU aid is intended to enable the infrastructure of the Brody pumping station to be restored to the highest European technical and safety standards. Both Hungary and Slovakia accuse Ukraine of deliberately delaying the restoration of transit.

According to consultancy ExPro, transit through the Ukrainian branch of the Druzhba fell to a 10-year low of 9.7 million tonnes last year. Union leaders are also expected to press Viktor Orbán to stop blocking a 90 billion dollar loan to Ukraine.

(reuters, lud)