Ukraine has reportedly not allowed the bloc’s experts to check the oil pipeline despite agreeing to it earlier
Ukraine’s delay of an EU inspection of the Druzhba oil pipeline for nearly two weeks is “not smart,” unnamed diplomatic sources have told Euractiv. Kiev had earlier agreed to allow the bloc’s experts to check the conduits for alleged damage.
The Soviet-era pipeline has been used to deliver Russian crude through Ukrainian territory to Hungary and Slovakia. Kiev claims the pipeline was damaged in Russian strikes – something that Moscow denies. Budapest has also rejected Kiev’s claims, arguing that the Ukrainian authorities deliberately halted the flow for political reasons.
Earlier in March, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that Kiev would allow an EU-funded inspection of the pipeline. According to Euractiv, the team is still waiting for a green light from Kiev to go to the site despite being in Ukraine for weeks.
“We don’t have a clear picture of what the Ukrainian play here is,” an EU diplomat told the media outlet. Other sources contacted by Euractiv called Kiev’s actions “unclear” and “not smart.”
“If Druzhba is deblocked, all sides win,” another EU diplomat said, adding that it would allow Hungary and Slovakia get their energy supplies and Ukraine, in turn, would get a €90 billion ($105 billion) assistance package from the EU, which is currently blocked by Budapest.
“The only way out of this stalemate is to check the situation on the ground and see there what the truth is,” the diplomat stated. Last week, Bratislava also said that it would veto the next round of Russia sanctions, as well as derail any attempts to simplify Kiev’s potential accession to the EU if the pipeline issue is not resolved.
In mid-March, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky stated he was opposing the resumption of Russian oil shipments, and accused Brussels of “blackmail” over the inspection. Moscow retorted earlier this month that it was Kiev that subjected Hungary and Slovakia to “energy blackmail,” warning that Ukraine’s aggressive stance threatens the energy security of the bloc.
