Pipeline Standoff: Fico Accuses Zelenskiy of Blocking Inspections

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accuses Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of blocking inspections of the Druzhba oil pipeline, suggesting Kyiv is uninterested in resuming oil transit. As a result, Hungary and Slovakia face ongoing supply disruptions, which they attribute to Ukraine's handling of the situation after a Russian drone strike.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of obstructing inspections of the damaged Druzhba oil pipeline. Fico claims this indicates Kyiv's lack of interest in resuming oil transit.

The pipeline has been out of service for Hungary and Slovakia since January, impacting their receipt of Russian crude supplies. The prolonged outage has sparked tensions, with both countries blaming Ukraine for the disruptions.

President Zelenskiy, however, contends that repairs after a Russian drone strike are to blame for the delays, suggesting that the situation remains complex and unresolved.

(With inputs from agencies.)