Ukraine renewed transit of Russian oil to Slovakia, Hungary via pipeline

Ukraine renewed the transportation of oil through the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba oil pipeline on August 10. Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz company confirmed that it had received payment for the transit of Russian oil from the Hungarian oil and gas company MOL.

“Ukraine has renewed transportation of Russian oil along the southern section of the Druzhba oil pipeline in the direction of Slovakia and Hungary,” Naftogaz said.

“A reminder that on August 4, JSC Ukrtransnafta forcibly stopped the transit of Russian oil through the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba main oil pipeline  in connection with the non-payment by PJSC Transnafta of the advance payment for the transportation of oil,” Naftogaz underlined.

Naftogaz noted that it had now received payment for the transit of Russian oil from MOL.

At the same time, Ukrtransnafta did not receive information about payment for the transit of oil through the Czech Republic.

“Ukrtransnafta has not received an official letter from Transnafta that the Mero company, which manages the section of the Druzhba oil pipeline in this country, will pay for the transit to the Czech Republic,” the company said.

On May 31, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, announced that  European Union leaders had reached an agreement on the ban on the export of Russian oil.

According to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the oil embargo will reduce about 90% of oil imports from Russia to European Union countries by the end of 2022.

The European Union plans to ban the sea import of crude and refined oil from the Russian Federation by 2023. In addition, the US and its allies want to limit the price of Russian oil to the level of 40-60 dollars a barrel.

On August 9 Ukraine halted oil transit from Russia through the Druzhba pipeline.

However, on August 11 MOL reported that Ukraine had resumed the transit of oil from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline.