MOSCOW, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday accused Ukraine of threatening Europe's energy security by stopping Russian oil flowing through the Druzhba
Russia Says Ukraine Jeopardizes Europe’s Energy via Hungary-Slovakia Oil Halt
Energy Security Stakes for Hungary and Slovakia
MOSCOW, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday accused Ukraine of threatening Europe's energy security by stopping Russian oil flowing through the Druzhba oil pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia.
Druzhba Pipeline Disruption
Ukraine, which says the pipeline was damaged by Russian strikes in late January, says it has not yet repaired it and on Monday, in a separate incident, Kyiv's drones struck a key Russian pumping station serving the same pipeline.
Budapest and Bratislava Responses
Hungary this week blocked new EU sanctions on Russia and an EU loan to Ukraine, in response to the oil stoppage.
"Ukraine's blockage of transit through the Druzhba oil pipeline threatens the energy security of Hungary, Slovakia and the whole of Europe, which is why Brussels' inaction is surprising," Zakharova told a news briefing.
EU and Ukrainian Statements
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that Brussels had asked Ukraine to speed up repairs to the damaged pipeline. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said a day later it could not be fixed quickly.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov, writing by Ksenia OrlovaEditing by Andrew Osborn)
