Crude oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline have resumed, with the first shipments already reaching Ukraine following the restart of the system, Hungarian oil and gas company MOL announced.
According to the company, Ukraine’s pipeline operator Ukrtransnafta confirmed that oil reception from Belarus began at midday on Wednesday. MOL expects the first shipments to arrive in Hungary and Slovakia by Thursday at the latest.
Earlier on Wednesday, the company said, citing Ukrainian information, that repair works on the pipeline had been completed and the force majeure situation in place since 27 January 2026, ended on 21 April. Ukrtransnafta indicated it was ready to restart deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia.
Following the shutdown of the Druzhba pipeline at the end of January, MOL turned to Hungary’s Energy Ministry in mid-February to release strategic oil reserves to maintain supply security in the region. The company also arranged alternative crude deliveries by sea to supply its refineries, and part of the reserves was subsequently used.
Ukrainian authorities had previously attributed the pipeline failure to damage caused by a Russian drone strike, noting that repairs required significant time. However, similar disruptions have occurred multiple times during the war, often resulting in only short-term interruptions, according to MOL chairman and CEO Zsolt Hernádi.
The issue also escalated into a political dispute. Hungary and Slovakia questioned whether the shutdown was purely technical, suggesting it could be a form of political pressure, and called for intervention by the European Union.
Both countries also suspended their support for the 90 billion euro financial package for Ukraine, linking their approval to the restoration of oil supplies. Under a prior agreement, Hungary and Slovakia were exempted from bearing the financial burden of the package.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on 21 April that repairs to the Druzhba pipeline had been completed and that operations could resume, while also tying the restart to the unblocking of the EU financial assistance.
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in Brussels on Tuesday that a positive decision on the 90 billion loan for Ukraine was expected within 24 hours.
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