Overview
- Russian crude deliveries on the Druzhba southern branch have been suspended since Jan. 27, with Hungary and Slovakia alleging a political blockage and Ukraine citing extensive war damage and safety risks.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky said repair crews were injured and described major damage, including a large storage tank fire and ruined control and leak‑detection equipment, while Naftogaz signaled a fuller assessment is forthcoming.
- Hungary escalated pressure by halting diesel exports to Ukraine, blocking a €90 billion EU loan and elements of an EU sanctions package, forming a national commission on Druzhba, and deploying army units to protect 75 energy sites.
- The European Commission is seeking independent verification; EU leaders and the bloc’s ambassador to Ukraine requested access to inspect the damage, requests reported as denied on security grounds, and a von der Leyen–Zelensky call was planned to address energy security.
- Budapest released satellite images it says show the line is operable and MOL’s CEO claimed Ukraine’s transit operator was ready to restart pending political approval, assertions Kyiv disputes as it argues satellite views cannot reveal underground or control‑system damage; Putin is hosting Hungary’s foreign minister in Moscow as the Kremlin backs Hungary’s position.