President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned European allies that forcing repairs to the Druzhba oil pipeline equates to lifting Russian sanctions. He characterized the move as political blackmail tied to a critical €90 billion loan.
Hungary and Slovakia dispute Ukraine's claim of Russian sabotage, demanding independent inspections of the damaged site. European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen confirmed sanctions remain non-negotiable despite global supply pressures.
Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is leveraging the dispute during his upcoming re-election campaign. Naftogaz officials have since briefed dozens of diplomats on alleged Russian attack footage.