Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a statement about the Druzhba oil pipeline that could affect not only Hungary but also the entire energy supply of the region.
According to the Ukrainian leader, the repair of the oil pipeline may be completed soon. This was a previous commitment also made by Mr. Zelensky to the European Union (EU).
Hungarian media reported that this statement is particularly noteworthy because the disruption of the Druzhba pipeline has caused significant tension in Central Europe in recent months, and has also become the cause of many political disagreements.
The Druzhba oil pipeline has been paralyzed since January after a Russian attack. Due to the large level of damage, the technically complex restoration process, making it impossible to quickly return to operation as initially expected. However, Kiev has now said that the repair progress is showing clear changes.
Druzhba is a Russian oil transport route to Hungary and Slovakia, so all developments of this pipeline directly affect the regional economy. The disruption of this oil pipeline once again highlights the issue of dependence on Russian energy and the importance of alternative supply routes.
In recent months, the Hungarian government has repeatedly made accusations, emphasizing that the incident was not entirely due to technical factors. Ukraine rejected the accusation, affirming that the cause stemmed from damage in the conflict and security risks.
The Druzhba pipeline issue is now not only economic but also political. Hungary believes that the time of the incident may affect the election campaign. In response, Mr. Zelensky emphasized that the election in Hungary is an internal matter and Ukraine has no intention of intervention.
The cost of repairing the Druzhba oil pipeline is very large, so the EU has proposed financial support for Ukraine. The goal is not only to overcome damage but also to stabilize regional energy supplies. This shows that the issue has gone far beyond the bilateral framework, becoming a European-level issue: If the pipeline continues to operate for a long time, energy prices, supply security and geopolitical relations could all be affected.
Hungarian media pointed out that the main question now is whether it will be completed in a short time or not. If achieved, the market and countries in the region may be relieved of the burden. Conversely, if more attacks occur or the progress of restoring the Druzhba oil pipeline is delayed, instability may increase again.
