Ukraine has recently been under intensified pressure from Brussels, following demands from EU member states Hungary and Slovakia for a mission to assess the damage to the 'Druzhba' pipeline that supplies Russian oil to these countries. According to sources cited by the Financial Times, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel urged Ukrainian leadership to grant access to the pipeline during their visit to Kyiv, marking the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion. However, this request was met with a refusal from the Ukrainian authorities.

In a similar vein, the EU ambassador to Ukraine, Katerina Maternova, also approached the office of President Volodymyr Zelensky with a request for access to the 'Druzhba' pipeline. This request was also declined, with Ukrainian officials citing security concerns as the primary reason for their refusal. The growing tension around this issue reflects the complex dynamics between Ukraine and the EU, particularly as some member states accuse Kyiv of deliberately delaying the restoration of oil supplies.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has leveraged this situation to block a significant €90 billion aid package for Ukraine from the EU, demanding clearer insights into the actions relating to the oil supplies. This escalation illustrates not only the logistical challenges that Ukraine faces but also the wider implications for EU-Ukraine relations as member states navigate their interests in the context of the ongoing conflict with Russia.