Incoming Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Friday that flows of Russian crude into Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline may restart next week, according to information he received from the head of national refiner MOL.
Magyar told reporters that Zsolt Hernadi, the chief executive of MOL, informed him of plans for a resumption of deliveries and that Hernadi intends to visit Russia next week to negotiate oil supplies.
"It’s not enough just to restart Druzhba," Magyar said. "It needs to get oil too." The comment underscored that reopening the pipeline alone does not guarantee immediate physical deliveries, as oil volumes must be available to flow through the infrastructure once operational.
The Druzhba pipeline carries Russian crude westward through Ukraine into central Europe. It has not been in operation since January, when it suffered damage in a Russian drone strike, and that disruption has left the route offline for several months.
Magyar's remarks attributed the information on potential renewed flows to Hernadi and set out a near-term timetable for further discussions in Russia. Beyond the announcement of the planned visit and the possible restart next week, no additional details about volumes, contractual terms, or the technical state of the pipeline were provided.
Given the limited information available publicly, the timeline and outcome remain contingent on the forthcoming talks and on the state of the pipeline's repairs and supply arrangements. The incoming prime minister's statement establishes the prospect of a restart as an imminent development, while also drawing attention to the practical requirement that oil must be available to move through the pipeline once it is brought back online.
Context noted in statements:
- The possible resumption of Russian oil flows to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline could occur next week, per the incoming prime minister's comments.
- Zsolt Hernadi, head of MOL, reportedly communicated the update and plans to travel to Russia to discuss supplies.
- The Druzhba pipeline has been out of service since January after being damaged in a Russian drone strike.