BREAKING: Zelenskyy sets timeframe to restart Druzhba oil pipeline to Hungary

Ukraine will formally indicate a possible restart date for the Druzhba (Friendship) oil pipeline after discussions with EU leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, according to a report published by Oxu.Az, citing Interfax-Ukraine.

The most important lesson for Central Europe is the timeline: Zelenskyy established the timeline based on estimates from Ukrainian energy experts.

What Zelenskyy said about the restart date

According to Oxu.Az, Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv needs to name the European Union a timeframe for resuming the Druzhba pipeline’s operation, and that the issue has been discussed at the level of EU leadership.

In the report’s summary, Zelenskyy said the Druzhba pipeline “should work again in two months”, setting a clear window for when the flow of crude oil could resume — assuming repairs and checks proceed as planned.

According to Zelenskyy, the gas pipeline could be operational again in about two months.

Why Druzhba matters for Hungary

For foreign readers, Druzhba is one of the largest oil pipeline systems in the region and has long been a key route for crude oil deliveries into parts of Central Europe. Any interruption tends to become highly political, because it affects supply planning, refinery operations, and the public debate around fuel prices and energy security.

In Hungary, Druzhba has been especially sensitive because energy policy has remained a major political topic in recent years — and pipeline disruptions often spill into broader arguments about EU policy, sanctions, and the war in Ukraine.

A timeline, not a guarantee

While “two months” is a concrete estimate, it is not the same as a guaranteed restart date. The report frames the timeline as an expected period for getting the pipeline back into operation — in other words, a target window that depends on technical work and the overall security situation.

That distinction matters because energy infrastructure repairs can be delayed by logistics, further damage, or new security incidents. Still, a publicly stated timeframe signals that Kyiv is communicating an expected horizon for resumption rather than leaving the issue open-ended.

Our article in the topic – Energy pipelines under fire: alleged TurkStream attack and Druzhba shutdown risk – what it means for Hungary

“The “Ukrainians are capable of anything, even state-sponsored terrorism”

Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán also weighed in on Friday, saying in a video posted on social media that Hungarian “experts are already in Ukraine” to examine the Druzhba pipeline on the ground and clarify why oil transit stopped. Orbán argued Hungary is “not interested in political messaging” but in establishing the facts, and claimed the pipeline could be reopened based on what Hungary knows. He added that if President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuses to allow the Hungarian experts to carry out their inspection, it would “raise serious questions” and, in Orbán’s words, would amount to an admission.

In response to a question, Orbán stated that the Ukrainians are capable of anything, even state-sponsored terrorism, so they might damage the pipeline before the experts arrive.

What to watch next

If the two-month window holds, the next developments to follow will likely be:

• A formally announced restart date from the Ukrainian side, as referenced in the report
• Updates on repair progress, once technical work advances
• How EU leaders respond, given the political sensitivity of energy transit
• Regional reactions, especially from countries that consider Druzhba a strategic supply line

Following Zelenskyy’s statement, the issue of restarting the gas pipeline has moved from the realm of speculation to a concrete timeline. Ukraine is expected to announce an official date to its EU partners following consultations on the details. The question is to what extent this statement aligns with the Hungarian government’s position, as they have claimed that Ukraine is deliberately obstructing the transport of Russian oil to Europe.

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