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Magyar Says Druzhba Pipeline Oil Flows Could Resume Next Week - Bakken Wire
Regulatory

Magyar Says Druzhba Pipeline Oil Flows Could Resume Next Week

Hungarian Prime Minister cites MOL chief, notes political link to EU aid for Ukraine.

Bakken Wire Staff·🔆Midday Wire·

Potential resumption of oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline could impact European energy dynamics, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar. Magyar told reporters on Friday, April 18, 2026, that Zsolt Hernadi, head of Hungarian refiner MOL, informed him of the renewed flow possibility.

The Prime Minister stated Hernadi would visit Russia next week to discuss oil supplies. "It’s not enough just to restart Druzhba," Magyar said, according to Rigzone. "It needs to get oil too."

The pipeline, which transports Russian oil via Ukraine to central Europe, has been inoperative since January 2026 when it was damaged by a Russian drone strike. The outage has become entangled in political disputes.

According to the report, outgoing Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban accused Kyiv of deliberately delaying repairs for political reasons, a charge Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denied. Orban subsequently said he would block a €90 billion European Union loan to Kyiv until oil flows through Druzhba were restored.

Magyar said Wednesday he expects Orban to lift his veto once the oil flows resume. Zelenskiy stated earlier this week that supply could resume by the end of April 2026.

The Druzhba pipeline is a key conduit for Russian crude into the European market. Its operational status influences global crude supply balances and pricing benchmarks, which are relevant for Bakken crude oil exports and pricing.

Source

Rigzone

europerussiaukrainepipelinegeopoliticscrude supply

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