"The Soviet-era pipeline, which carries Russian oil via Ukraine to the two landlocked central European countries, was damaged by a Russian missile in late January. Both Budapest and Bratislava have accused Kyiv of stalling to repair it for political reasons. Ukraine has rejected the accusation."
"In the meantime, Hungary and Slovakia have refused to give green light to a 90 billion-euro loan for Ukraine, initially agreed by EU leaders in December, that would bankroll the war-torn country for 2026 and 2027. They have also blocked the latest Russia sanctions, proposed by the bloc in January, that would target Russia's energy sector among other things."
"The Ukrainians have welcomed and accepted this offer. European experts are available immediately. There is now hope in Brussels that both vetoes could be lifted before or during an EU summit in Brussels on March 19-20."
The European Union announced plans to provide financial assistance and deploy a team of experts to repair the Druzhba pipeline, a Soviet-era oil conduit damaged by Russian missiles in January that supplies Hungary and Slovakia. This initiative aims to resolve political obstacles blocking a 90 billion-euro EU loan for Ukraine and the latest sanctions against Russia's energy sector. Hungary and Slovakia have vetoed both measures, citing Ukraine's alleged deliberate obstruction of pipeline repairs, accusations Ukraine denies. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy initially resisted EU inspection but subsequently accepted the mission. EU leaders hope these actions will lift both vetoes before an EU summit scheduled for March 19-20.
#eu-ukraine-relations #druzhba-pipeline #hungary-slovakia-vetoes #russian-sanctions #energy-infrastructure
Read at RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]