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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Tuesday that a major Russian oil pipeline crossing Ukraine will return to operation by the end of April, restoring flows toward Central Europe after weeks of disruption.
Speaking in Berlin, Zelenskyy indicated that repairs on the Druzhba pipeline would be sufficient to restart operations, even if not fully completed. "It will be repaired by the end of April—not completely, but enough for it to function," he told reporters.
The Druzhba pipeline is one of the world’s largest oil pipeline systems, stretching roughly 4,000 kilometers across multiple European countries and carrying up to 1.4 million barrels per day.
Its southern branch, which supplies Hungary and Slovakia, has been offline since Jan. 27 following damage attributed to a Russian drone strike in Ukraine, and the outage quickly turned into a flashpoint between Kyiv and Budapest.
In March, Ukraine accepted EU technical support and funding to help restore flows through the damaged Druzhba pipeline.
The statement came as Hungary has undergone a major political shift, with Prime Minister Viktor Orban losing power after 16 years in office, whose campaign had framed Ukraine as a hostile actor.
Orban, who has maintained ties with Moscow throughout the conflict, blocked a €90 billion ($103 billion) European Union loan package to Ukraine, arguing that Kyiv had deliberately delayed restoring flows through the pipeline.
His successor, Magyar, has pledged a new political direction, even as key policy differences persist and he signals a more cautious approach in relations with Kyiv.
Zelensky, however, struck a pragmatic tone, signaling readiness to engage with Hungary’s new leadership. He confirmed that Kyiv is open to talks and aims to rebuild relations on "mutual respect."
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