Overview
- The pipeline’s southern branch, which restarted Thursday at 2 a.m. in Slovakia, is again sending Russian crude through Ukraine after nearly three months offline.
- EU governments approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine on Thursday after Hungary and Slovakia dropped their objections once oil began flowing to their territory.
- EU diplomats also advanced the bloc’s 20th sanctions package on Russia, and Slovakia said it will not block the formal written adoption if deliveries continue without disruption.
- The halt began in late January after damage on the Ukrainian section that Kyiv linked to a Russian strike, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on April 21 that repairs were complete and pumping could resume.
- Slovakia expects 13,500 tons on Thursday and 119,000 tons by the end of April, a key lifeline for refineries in Slovakia and Hungary that still receive Druzhba crude under an EU exemption, with first loan disbursements expected in late May or early June after technical checks.