Ukraine can restore the transit of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia via the Friendship pipeline, which was damaged in the Russian attack, within a month and a half, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a letter to President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, reports Hirado.
Coincidentally, the pipeline reopening would happen well after national elections in Hungary take place in April, which is certain to harm Hungary’s economy in the meantime.
The Hungarian government claims, citing satellite images, that the pipeline is operational, while Ukraine is using the issue of oil transportation to exert political pressure ahead of the Hungarian elections.
In a statement posted on X yesterday, von der leyen said: “The EU has offered Ukraine technical support and funding. The Ukrainians have welcomed and accepted this offer. European experts are available immediately. Our priority is to ensure energy security for all European citizens.”
She also noted that work will cintinue on “alternative routes for the transit of non-Russian crude oil.”
Statement with @eucopresident on the Druzhba pipeline
Following the renewed Russian strikes on January 27 on the Druzhba pipeline, leading to the interruption of crude oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, we have engaged in intense discussions with Member States and Ukraine at…
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 17, 2026The Ukrainian head of state highlighted that the pumping station in Brody, Lviv region, was completely shut down due to Russian attacks, which made it impossible for the Friendship pipeline to operate. Without the pumping station, it is technically impossible to maintain the necessary pressure in the pipeline system and ensure the safe transit of oil. The president added that Ukraine is working on an alternative technical solution in order to restore oil pumping capacity as soon as possible.
Zelensky has called the allegations that Ukraine is deliberately obstructing oil shipments through the Friendship pipeline unfounded.
“The repair work required to create a bypass solution is nearing completion. We expect that within approximately one and a half months the technical capabilities of the Brody pumping station will be restored. This will ensure the full restoration of transportation, provided that there are no further attacks from Russia,” the president wrote in his letter.
“The disruptions are a consequence of recent Russian terrorist attacks on the pipeline and surrounding infrastructure,” Zelensky stressed.
In a letter dated a day earlier, Costa and von der Leyen offered technical and financial assistance to Ukraine to restore oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia.
“I am grateful and accept your offer of the necessary technical support and financing so that we can complete the repair work as quickly as possible and explore future solutions,” Zelensky replied.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha announced on Feb. 12 that the transit of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia had stopped on Jan. 27 as a result of a Russian attack.
After the national security meeting held on the Barátság oil pipeline in early March, Viktor Orbán logged onto Facebook to provide information about the details of the meeting and the investigation launched into the pipeline. Based on satellite images and operational information, he said it is clear that the Friendship oil pipeline is operational.
According to the investigations, the attack did not directly affect the pipeline, therefore there is no technical obstacle to restarting the pipeline.
The Hungarian government also sent a delegation led by Gábor Czepek to Kiev to inspect the condition of the oil pipeline on site. According to the government, when the delegation arrived, Zelensky claimed that he was not aware of the delegation’s arrival and that he had received information from the Foreign Ministry that the trip was private.
Responding to this, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stated, that Zelensky is lying because the Hungarian government officially notified the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry of the delegation’s arrival.
Szijjártó also spoke about Ukraine’s attempts to influence the Hungarian elections, as their outcome, he said, could be decisive not only for Hungary, but also for Ukraine.
“It is obvious that there is nothing wrong with the Barátság oil pipeline, it is ready to transport oil to Hungary from today,” said Péter Szijjártó in response to Ursula von der Leyen’s announcement that the pipeline would be repaired with help from Brussels. The Foreign Minister stated: “We must not be misled, we are dealing with a political action here, and it is obvious that the oil blockade was preceded by a Brussels-Berlin-Kiev agreement.”
According to the government’s position, Kyiv is not restarting oil transportation through the Friendship pipeline in order to put pressure on Hungary before the April elections.
In response to the latest announcement by Brussels that they will help Kyiv reopen the Druzhba, Szijjártó was scathing in his response, demanding that von der Leyen and Zelensky “stop this political theater. The oil blockade against Hungary must be lifted immediately!”
Good morning, Ursula von der Leyen! After nearly 50 days, the @EU_Commission has noticed that two member states are under an oil blockade by Ukraine, now promising to resolve the situation.
Don’t be fooled. This is a political game. Every step was coordinated between Kyiv and… https://t.co/lLtMGKozEc
— Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto) March 17, 2026The government has also emphasized in several statements that, in their opinion, the Ukrainian leadership would like to see a Hungarian government in power that supports Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and EU financial assistance to Ukraine.
Ukrainian analyst Serhiy Herasymchuk supported this in early March when he stated: “If Péter Magyar and the Tisza Party came to power, Hungary would vote for the EU sanctions packages and would also support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.”
Zelensky and others have resorted to outright threats against not only PM Orbán but his family as well, as relations deteriorate rapidly ahead of Hungary’s April elections. Zelensky even threatened to send soldiers to Orbán’s address in a statement that was also condemned by the European Union.
