European Union leaders have announced that the EU-Ukraine aid will provide technical and financial assistance to restore oil flow through a section of the Druzhba pipeline running through its territory. Oil shipments through the pipeline came to a halt following a series of Russian missile strikes on energy infrastructure in January, which severed crude oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia.
EU- Ukraine aid: EU finalizes emergency funding for pipeline repairs
In a joint statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel condemned the January 27 attacks. The disruption has forced Central European nations to scramble for alternative energy sources as winter persists.
To expedite recovery, the EU has finalized an agreement with Kyiv to provide both emergency funding and technical expertise. Ukrainian authorities have accepted the offer, and European engineering experts stand ready for immediate deployment to the site of the damage.
While the immediate goal remains the restoration of the current flow, EU officials signalled a strategic shift toward long-term independence from Russian transit. The Commission confirmed it is working with regional partners to establish alternative routes for non-Russian crude oil.
“The European Commission will continue to work with the concerned parties on alternative transit routes to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe,” the joint statement read.
Zelensky condemns blackmail as Hungary blocks €90bn loan
The EU’s announcement comes just days after President Volodymyr Zelensky accused European allies of attempting to “blackmail” Ukraine into restoring the flow of Russian crude oil through the damaged pipeline. He described the pressure as a betrayal of the sanctions regime against Moscow.
Similarly, Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv that forcing the transit of Russian oil through Ukrainian territory contradicts the bloc’s broader economic pressure on the Kremlin.
“We either sell Russian oil, or we don’t. How is this different from lifting sanctions on the Russians? I am saying openly: I am against it,” Zelensky said.
Currently, the stakes remain high for Kyiv’s depleted treasury, with Hungary blocking a vital $103 billion EU loan for Ukraine. Budapest conditions its approval on the reopening of the pipeline.
However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has adopted a hardline stance against Ukraine to galvanize his base. He accused Kyiv of creating an oil blockade.
Meanwhile, EU officials indicated they would continue to monitor the situation closely to prevent further volatility in the European energy market.
In January, the EU allocated €153 million in emergency humanitarian aid for Ukraine and refugee-hosting Moldova. Sustained attacks on energy installations have left millions of Ukrainians freezing as the rest of Europe scrambles to provide aid.