Zelenskyy links Druzhba pipeline repairs to €90bn EU support and accession clusters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is connecting the completion of repair work on the Druzhba oil pipeline to the unblocking of an EU support package for Ukraine.
Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda
Details: Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has completed repairs to the section of the Druzhba pipeline that was damaged in a Russian strike and he is expecting European support to be unblocked.
"We connect this with the unblocking of the European support package for Ukraine, which had already been approved by the European Council," he said, referring to the December decision by EU leaders to grant Ukraine a €90 billion loan.
Zelenskyy also expressed hope that Ukraine's partners will take the relevant steps regarding the negotiating clusters for EU accession.
Quote: "We have already fulfilled our part of the work on the first clusters.
In addition, we must continue systematic sanctions pressure on Russia over this war and work on further diversifying energy supplies to Europe. Europe must be independent from those who seek to destroy or weaken it."
Background:
- On 21 April, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said a decision on the EU's €90 billion loan for Ukraine will be taken within the next 24 hours.
- On 19 April, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Ukraine is willing to resume oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline on Monday 20 April on condition that Budapest unblocks the EU loan of €90 billion.
- The EU plans to provide Ukraine with the first tranche of the €90 billion loan in late May or early June 2026.
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