Ukrainian oil began flowing through the Druzhba pipeline toward Slovakia and Hungary on Wednesday, clearing the final obstacle to a €83 billion ($90 billion) loan for Kyiv.
The resumption of Russian crude shipments after a three-month halt triggered expectations that the European Union would finally approve its 20th sanctions package against Russia, which had been stalled by Hungary and Slovakia over the pipeline blockade. Both countries had insisted that sanctions relief be tied to the restoration of Druzhba transit, a condition now met as oil resumed its westward flow.
Slovakia’s economy minister, Denisa Saková, confirmed the pipeline’s restart, while Hungarian energy company MOL forecast the oil would reach its refineries by Thursday. The development coincided with Cyprus, holding the EU presidency, announcing a breakthrough in the sanctions negotiations, though final approval still awaits member-state consensus.
Despite the pipeline’s reopening, Prime Minister Robert Fico continued to cast doubt on Ukraine’s resilience, even as he benefited politically from the earlier disruption. Sources noted he had used the stalled Druzhva flow to rally support by framing resistance to Russian energy as a defense of national economic interests — a narrative he revived even after evidence showed the blockade had been based on false premises.
Slovakia maintained its position that it would not block the 20th sanctions package if oil flowed uninterrupted at agreed volumes, reiterating its support only for measures that do not harm its own economy. However, the country confirmed it would not join financial guarantees for Ukraine’s €83 billion loan, nor participate in related EU financing framework adjustments.
The loan, intended to bolster Ukraine’s defense and prevent economic collapse, could be disbursed within 24 hours, according to a German government spokesperson cited by Reuters. Kyiv’s access to these funds had been contingent on lifting the veto tied to Druzhba, which Hungary lifted on Wednesday alongside its endorsement of the sanctions package.
Fico’s alignment with Viktor Orbán during the pipeline standoff was described as mutually beneficial, with the Slovak premier using the issue to bolster Orbán’s re-election campaign while refreshing a long-standing political narrative: that securing Russian raw materials protects Slovakia’s national economic interests. Critics observed this stance ignored evidence that the earlier halt had revealed the justification to be unfounded.
The 20th EU sanctions package, proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on February 6, had originally been slated for adoption by February 24 — the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its delay underscored how energy dependencies can override unified foreign policy responses within the bloc, even amid active warfare.
Why did Slovakia and Hungary link the EU sanctions vote to the Druzhba pipeline?
Both countries conditioned their support for the 20th sanctions package on the resumption of Russian oil flows via Druzhba, arguing that uninterrupted energy transit was necessary to avoid economic harm to their states, a position confirmed by Slovak foreign ministry statements and Hungarian governmental actions.
What is Slovakia’s current stance on financial guarantees for Ukraine’s loan?
Slovakia will not participate in guaranteeing Ukraine’s €83 billion loan or in related EU financing framework changes, maintaining its earlier position despite the pipeline’s reopening and the loan’s impending disbursement.