Zelenskyy Accuses EU of Blackmail Over Druzhba Pipeline Repairs and Russian Oil Flow

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the European Union of "blackmail" over pressure to repair and reopen the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude oil to Hungary and Slovakia, and declared he would not reopen it. Zelenskyy argued that restoring the flow of Russian oil would be equivalent to lifting economic sanctions against Moscow. The pipeline was reportedly damaged by Russian air strikes in January 2026. Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has been blocking EU financial aid for Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia, linking both to the pipeline's repair. The dispute has placed Zelenskyy in direct confrontation with two EU member states — Hungary and Slovakia — whose governments have demanded the transit resume before agreeing to further support measures.

Orbán and Fico press Kyiv with threats over oil flow Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico have both applied pressure on Ukraine to restore the pipeline transit. According to web search results, Orbán told state media that the EU was prepared to use "threats" if "nice words" did not work to secure the pipeline's reopening. Zelenskyy characterized this approach as coercion, stating that pressure was being applied through threats and blackmail when diplomatic persuasion failed. Zelenskyy's position is that reopening the Druzhba route would channel revenue to Russia at a time when Western nations are attempting to restrict Moscow's income through sanctions. The standoff highlights a broader tension within the EU between member states that remain economically dependent on Russian energy and those pushing for a harder line against Moscow. Slovakia, which also relies on the pipeline, has aligned with Hungary in demanding the transit be restored as a condition for cooperation on other Ukraine-related measures.

The Druzhba pipeline has been in operation since 1964 and is one of the largest oil pipeline networks in the world. It was built during the Soviet era to supply Central and Eastern European countries with Russian crude. Hungary and Slovakia have historically been among the most dependent EU members on Russian energy supplies routed through Ukraine. The pipeline's transit through Ukrainian territory has made it a recurring point of geopolitical leverage throughout the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.

Ukraine pitches drone expertise to Middle Eastern nations Simultaneously, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine was positioning itself as a provider of anti-drone expertise to Middle Eastern countries facing attacks from Iranian-made drones. According to Reuters, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine was seeking money and technology transfers in return for sharing its drone defense knowledge. Several Middle Eastern nations have approached Ukraine for assistance, recognizing Kyiv's battlefield experience in countering drone attacks, according to reporting by wydarzenia.interia.pl. Ukraine has developed extensive practical expertise in detecting, jamming, and destroying Iranian-manufactured drones since they began appearing on the Ukrainian battlefield. The offer represents an effort by Kyiv to convert wartime technical knowledge into diplomatic and economic capital with partners outside Europe.

Zelenskyy proposes new framework for drone export controls Beyond offering expertise, Zelenskyy proposed establishing a new regulatory system to govern the sale of Ukrainian-made drones to foreign partners, according to The Guardian. The proposed framework would introduce controls over how Ukrainian drones are transferred and used by recipient countries. Ukraine's domestic drone production has expanded significantly during the war, making the country a potential supplier of unmanned systems to international buyers. The push for a formal sales and control mechanism reflects Kyiv's ambition to build a sustainable defense industrial base that can generate revenue and deepen partnerships even while the conflict continues. Zelenskyy's dual announcements — resisting EU pressure on the pipeline while opening new defense cooperation channels in the Middle East — illustrated Ukraine's effort to manage multiple diplomatic fronts at once.