Ukraine has yet to grant EU experts permission to inspect Druzhba pipeline – European Pravda's sources

European experts currently in Kyiv have not been granted permission to inspect the site of damage to the Druzhba pipeline caused by a Russian missile, in order to assess the time and cost of its repair.

Source: European Pravda, citing anonymous sources

Details: Ukraine has not yet granted the group of European experts permission to visit the site of where the Druzhba pipeline was damaged.

According to European Pravda's sources, the EU expert group remains in Kyiv and is ready to travel to the damage site at any moment to assess the extent of the damage and the cost of repair works.

It was previously reported that the European experts were undergoing a security check conducted by the Ukrainian side.

Meanwhile, the European Commission declined to comment on the situation surrounding the expert group.

"I do not have any updated information on this mission that I could provide you with," European Commission Spokesperson on energy Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told journalists during a briefing on Monday 23 March.

"Last week we noted that there is a group of experts ready for this mission. We have no new information to share on this matter. So the information we provided last week remains current," European Commission Deputy Chief Spokesperson Arianna Podestà added.

Background:

• The European Union welcomed Ukraine's commitment to repair the Druzhba pipeline, damaged by a Russian missile, within six weeks. This followed an EU proposal to provide financial resources and expert support to restore oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia.
• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, on the sidelines of the European Council in Brussels, stated that Hungary would not unblock any decision favourable to Ukraine until the Druzhba pipeline resumes transporting Russian oil.
• Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that Ukraine would be forced to resume the supply of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline as it would "run out of money".

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!