Slovakia urges Ukraine to allow joint inspection on Druzhba pipeline

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Friday urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to allow a joint inspection on the Druzhba pipeline, after a halt of oil supplies through the pipeline caused disputes between the two countries.



In a letter to Zelensky posted on social media, Fico said the inspection team will come from the European Commission (EC) and the affected countries, aiming to assess the extent of the damage if the Druzhba pipeline is damaged, according to the News Agency of the Slovak Republic (TASR).



He also urged Zelensky to accept the EC's offer to finance any necessary repairs, as well as Slovakia's offer to provide its repair capacities.



Fico said the Ukrainian president's unilateral decisions to halt energy supplies are causing economic damage to Slovakia, TASR reported.



Oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia and Hungary were suspended following an attack on Jan. 27, Ukrainian officials said, blaming Russia for the pipeline damage. Slovakia later declared an oil emergency and claimed that Ukraine was deliberately halting oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline.