Slovakia expects oil deliveries via Druzhba pipeline to resume on Thurs

BERLIN. April 22 (Interfax) - Oil deliveries to Slovakia via the Druzhba oil pipeline are expected to resume on Thursday, Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said.

"The resumption of [oil] flows and deliveries to Slovakia is planned for tomorrow morning," Sakova wrote on Facebook (an information resource of Meta Platforms Inc., designated as extremist and banned in Russia) on Wednesday.

Hungary and Slovakia have not received Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline since January 27 because of the pipeline's blocking by Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said he will not withdraw his veto on the European Union's 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine until oil supply resumes via the Druzhba pipeline.

Peter Magyar, the leader of the Tisza party, which won Hungarian parliamentary elections, has urged Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to ensure the quickest possible resumption of oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia is technologically prepared to resume oil transit to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline, but it all depends on Kiev.