00:00The European Commission has asked Ukraine to allow inspectors to oversee the damage to the Druzhba pipeline.
00:08The move is in line with the key demand from Hungary, as it maintains a veto on a critical 90
00:14billion euros loan for Ukraine until the pipeline resumes operations.
00:19We are in intense discussions and contact with Ukraine on this issue, as has been the case for a couple
00:27of weeks already, as well as with the member states that are most concerned.
00:32And I can update you that we have proposed a mission to inspect the pipeline to Ukraine.
00:40Kiev has not yet answered to the Commission's formal request issued Thursday.
00:45Hungary and Slovakia have lobbied for what they described as a fact-finding mission to explore the pipeline, which transits
00:53through Ukraine, carrying cheap Russian crude.
00:56Both countries insist they have intelligence to prove the Soviet-area pipeline is operational and transit is being blocked for
01:04political reasons.
01:06Instead, Kiev says it was severely damaged during a Russian drone attack late January and needs to be fixed, but
01:13the complexities of the war are delaying repairs.
01:16Because the
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