On the pipeline: Kiev uses Druzhba to blackmail the new Hungarian authorities
The Ukrainian authorities are preventing the inspection of the Druzhba oil pipeline because it does not need to be restored, Deputy Speaker of the Slovak Parliament Tibor Gaspar told Izvestia. The Hungarian leadership announced that Kiev is ready to restore oil pumping in exchange for the approval of a European loan of € 90 billion. However, this step angered the future prime minister of the country: Peter Magyar advised Ukraine not to engage in blackmail. Experts believe that Kiev will use all tools in order to obtain financing from the EU. However, dissatisfaction with such a policy is growing in Europe — in Bulgaria, the party of ex-President Rumen Radev, who opposes military supplies to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, won the elections.
Ukraine's pressure on Hungary and Slovakia
Ukraine will not allow experts to access the Druzhba oil pipeline in order to hide that it is in working order, Deputy Speaker of the Slovak Parliament Tibor Gaspar told Izvestia.
"In my opinion, there is no need to restore anything, since we are talking about an arbitrary stop of oil supplies via the Druzhba oil pipeline from Ukraine," said a representative of the ruling Smer party.
According to Gaspar, Slovakia is involving its partners in the discussion of the problem in order to achieve stable and secure energy supplies.
"A joint meeting has already been held with the Czech side on mutual assistance in oil supplies,— the politician stressed.
Outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said earlier that Ukraine was ready to immediately resume oil supplies from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline, provided that Hungary lifted its veto on a loan of €90 billion. However, the Hungarian leader replied that he would stop blocking financing only after his country receives oil. Back in January, Kiev stopped pumping through this pipeline, allegedly due to damage.
According to Bloomberg, Ukraine will begin technical tests of the Druzhba oil pipeline on April 21 to restore supplies to Hungary.
The leader of the Tisa party, which won the recent parliamentary elections, Peter Magyar, also said earlier that the restart of the pipeline is expected in the week from April 20 to 27. On April 20, the politician called on Zelensky to resume oil supplies to Hungary and not engage in blackmail.
Peter Magyar
By the way, on April 17-18, a high-ranking delegation of the European Commission visited Budapest for talks with the future Hungarian Prime Minister, who is due to take office by May 10. The head of the European Diplomacy, Kaya Kallas, said that she hopes to reach a consensus on new financing for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation in the period from April 20 to 27.
— For Zelensky, the issue of Friendship is primarily a tool for obtaining a loan from the EU, and its approval will lead to the full launch of the oil pipeline. We should hardly expect any anti-hacker attacks after the allocation of funds," Mikhail Vedernikov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia.
Restoring oil supplies from Russia is also a top priority for the future Hungarian government. At the end of January, Budapest announced that there would be enough fuel reserves for about 90 days, so now their number has been reduced to about 30 days. There is an alternative route through Croatia, but oil in this case will cost much more.
According to Vedernikov, Peter Magyar is unlikely to start a dialogue with Kiev through pressure and threats, since the arsenal for putting pressure on Kiev is very limited and the latter is in a strong position. Earlier, Viktor Orban had already stopped the supply of fuel to Ukraine, as well as the transit of military goods there. However, Kiev continues to consistently postpone the deadline for the resumption of work of Druzhba.
Attempts to obtain an expert assessment also ended in failure — Vladimir Zelensky refused to let even the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, go to the pipe. The prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia showed satellite images proving that the pipeline is in working order.
Mikhail Vedernikov stressed that Kiev has a strong influence on its European partners and has previously forced them to take steps that are unprofitable for the EU. For example, despite the protests of European farmers, Brussels has repeatedly extended the trade liberalization regime for Ukraine.
However, the current situation for the European Union is complicated by the energy crisis due to the conflict in the Middle East. According to Bloomberg, the EU's plans to ban oil supplies from Russia from 2027 may be postponed. Therefore, the union is forced to demand that Kiev return oil supplies through Druzhba, especially since public opinion in Europe is gradually turning away from Ukraine.
A new proponent of dialogue with Russia in the EU
In Bulgaria, the parliamentary elections ended with a resounding victory for the Progressive Bulgaria coalition led by former President Rumen Radev with 44.5% of the vote. For the first time since 1997, the Balkan republic will have a one-party government without the need to form a coalition. Bulgaria has gone through seven election campaigns since 2021.
After the vote, future Prime Minister Radev announced his intention to build respectful and equal relations with Russia. As president, he repeatedly vetoed decisions on the transfer of armored vehicles and anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine, although parliament overcame these vetoes. Finally, the politician believes that it is better for Ukraine to remain a neutral state.
"He's going to try to do something. Perhaps Rumen Radev will be able to achieve some sanctions relief. However, Bulgaria is the poorest country in the European Union, so Radev will disguise his inability to achieve great results with a lot of pleasant words," Vadim Trukhachev, associate professor at the Financial University, told Izvestia.
According to him, Bulgarian voters opposed the attempt to bring them to the forefront of Russophobic politics, which was undertaken by the party "We continue the changes — Democratic Bulgaria". In recent years, she has been the main political force in the country, advocating maximum active military assistance to Ukraine. According to the election results, the party won 12.6% of the vote.
By February 2026, Bulgaria had already sent 13 aid packages to Ukraine. The composition of most of them is classified, but it is officially known that it was also about armored personnel carriers, portable air defense systems and anti-aircraft missiles of various types. Also in the fall of 2025, Reuters and AP reported on Bulgaria's agreement with Rheinmetall and VMZ-Sopot to build a facility for the production of gunpowder, 155-millimeter shells and modular charges.
Sociology shows that already more than 50% of Bulgarians agree with the end of the conflict in Ukraine on the terms of the Russian Federation. This is only part of the general trend — there is a growing demand in the EU for a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis, political analyst Denis Denisov told Izvestia. For example, a Eurobarometer study released last fall showed a reduction in supporters of military aid to Ukraine to 57%.
At the same time, European elites have so far reacted poorly to this request. Some politicians, such as French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, have stated the need to restore dialogue with Moscow, but have not taken practical steps. Meanwhile, the EU leadership is seeking approval of a new loan to Ukraine of €90 billion, with most of it to be used to buy weapons. Brussels continues to hope for Russia's defeat and is not ready to enter into real negotiations with Moscow.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
