Oil is moving again through the Druzhba pipeline — clearing the final hurdle to unlock the European Union’s €90 billion loan for Ukraine.
Shipments resumed early Thursday, with crude starting to reach Slovakia after nearly three months of disruption triggered by a Russian strike in January on the pipeline’s Ukrainian section.
Slovakia’s Economy Minister Denisa Saková confirmed the restart. “As of 2:00 a.m. today, the intake of oil into Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline has resumed,” she wrote on Facebook. “Oil deliveries are currently proceeding in line with the agreed plan.”
A Hungarian official, granted anonymity to speak freely, told POLITICO that Russian oil reached Hungary at 12:55 Thursday. Hungary had initially requested a delay to the EU’s technical briefing on the loan announcement until the delivery was confirmed.