The Soviet-era pipeline, which carries Russian crude through Ukrainian territory to Central Europe, has been out of operation since late January following a Russian drone strike that damaged critical infrastructure in western Ukraine, disrupting supplies to countries heavily reliant on the route for discounted oil.
Speaking last week, Zelensky said Kyiv remained committed to existing agreements with the European Union, stressing that the restoration work would be completed within the agreed timeline. He, however, noted that responsibility for the supply and purchase of the oil lies with European partners.
The development follows weeks of diplomatic tension between Ukraine and Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had accused Kyiv of delaying repairs and threatened to block European Union financial aid and sanctions measures against Russia unless oil flows resumed.
In response, the European Union stepped in with technical and financial support to accelerate the restoration process, an offer Ukraine accepted in a bid to ease tensions and stabilise energy supply in the region.
Industry sources had earlier projected April as a likely timeline for the resumption of flows, a forecast that aligns with Zelensky’s latest remarks, although some storage facilities affected by the attack may take longer to fully restore.
The planned reopening is seen as a pragmatic move to address energy security concerns in Central Europe while easing internal divisions within the EU over continued support for Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.
However, the timeline for resuming full operations will depend on the completion of final repair works and the absence of further attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the coming weeks.
