Slovakia to EU: Investigate if Kyiv is lying about Russian oil pipeline

(Ben Munster – Politico) Slovakia wants the European Commission to investigate Ukrainian claims that a critical pipeline supplying oil to Slovakia and Hungary was blown up in a Russian airstrike, amid growing diplomatic tensions that threaten emergency funding to Kyiv. Ukrainian authorities say the Druzhba pipeline has been offline since late January after it was damaged by a Russian attack. But Slovakia and Hungary, which depend on the pipeline for Russian oil imports, argue Kyiv has halted oil flows for political purposes and have threatened to block EU sanctions on Russia along with a key €90 billion loan to Ukraine. On Monday, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said Slovakia had asked the EU’s energy commissioner, Dan Jørgensen, to inspect the pipeline to see if it was operational, and “whether the damage is of such a scale that oil supplies cannot continue.” – Slovakia to EU: Investigate if Kyiv is lying about Russian oil pipeline – POLITICO