Ukraine has restarted pumping Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia after completing repairs to the Druzhba pipeline after it was damaged in a Russian attack in January, the three countries said today.

The pipeline has been at the centre of a standoff between Ukraine, the European Union, and Hungary and Slovakia — which still import Russian oil via the pipeline.

Kyiv hopes the resumption of supplies will unblock the last hurdle to securing tens of billions of euros in support from Brussels that has been held up by Hungary’s outgoing nationalist leader Viktor Orban.

Hours after Ukraine said oil had started flowing, EU officials gave preliminary approval for the long-stalled loan of 90 billion euros (106 billion dollars) to be disbursed.

Hungary and Slovakia confirmed transit had started and said supplies should start arriving Thursday.

 

‎