Russian Oil Supply to Slovakia Through Druzhba Pipeline Restarts

The movement of Russian crude oil into Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline—running across Ukrainian territory—has officially resumed, according to Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Saková on Thursday morning.

In a formal announcement, the ministry confirmed that oil deliveries recommenced at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time. The statement clarified that Slovakia has once again begun receiving crude supplies through the Druzhba network, signaling a return to operational flow after a prolonged disruption.

This development effectively resolves a dispute that had persisted for several months involving Ukraine, the European Union, Hungary, and Slovakia. The interruption originally occurred in late January following a Russian attack targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which resulted in damage to critical pipeline systems and halted the transport of low-cost Russian oil.

With the resumption now confirmed, a major financial bottleneck is expected to ease. The €90 billion financial assistance package intended for Ukraine—previously blocked by Hungary and Slovakia since February despite earlier approval in December—can now proceed. Disbursement of the funds is anticipated to begin between the end of May and the start of June.

Meanwhile, Hungary’s leading energy company MOL Group disclosed on Wednesday that it had received notification from Ukrtransnafta, the entity responsible for managing Ukraine’s section of the pipeline. The notification confirmed that crude oil inflow from Belarus through the Druzhba system had resumed within Ukrainian territory starting midday.

The Druzhba pipeline, a critical energy route supplying affordable Russian crude to both Slovakia and Hungary, had been out of service since late January due to damage caused by a drone strike attributed to Russia.

Authorities in Budapest and Bratislava had previously accused Kyiv of intentionally restricting oil transit. However, Ukrainian officials maintained that the suspension was unavoidable and necessary to carry out urgent repair work on the damaged infrastructure.

The restoration of this supply route marks a significant step toward stabilizing regional energy distribution and easing geopolitical tensions tied to energy dependency in Central Europe.