Overview
- European Commission officials said they have asked Ukraine to allow an EU fact‑finding mission to inspect the Druzhba pipeline, and Kyiv has not yet replied.
- Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said the Hungarian group that entered on March 11 has no official status, and a diplomatic note shows Kyiv deemed Budapest’s proposed visit dates unacceptable.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said EU leaders want a target date for resuming flows, and he cited Naftogaz’s preliminary estimate of roughly one and a half to two months to restore transit capability.
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he and Ursula von der Leyen agree the oil transit should restart, and the Commission is ready to provide expert help and potential funding for repairs.
- Hungary continues leverage over the dispute by blocking a €90 billion EU loan and after a high‑profile Oschadbank cash seizure, while Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also accused Ukraine of striking TurkStream infrastructure in Russia, a claim reported as an accusation rather than established fact.