KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine has completed repairs on a section of the Druzhba oil pipeline damaged by a Russian strike, clearing a condition tied to the release of a 90 billion euro European Union support package. "Ukraine has completed repair work on the section of the Druzhba oil pipeline that was damaged by a Russian strike. The pipeline can resume operation," Zelenskyy said.

The pipeline repairs had delayed approval of the EU loan, which is intended to support Ukraine's military and economic needs over the next two years. Hungary and Slovakia had blocked the support package pending repair of the Druzhba pipeline, and the two countries accused Kyiv of deliberately obstructing Russian oil deliveries.

"Although no one can currently guarantee that Russia will not repeat attacks on the pipeline infrastructure, our specialists have ensured the basic conditions for restoring the operation of the pipeline system and equipment," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy discussed the unblocking of the European support package with European Council President Antonio Costa on X. The announcement followed the completion of repairs that Hungary and Slovakia had set as a condition for releasing the blocked funds. "We connect this with the unblocking of the European support package for Ukraine, which had already been approved by the European Council," Zelenskyy said in a separate statement.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected a positive decision on the loan in the next 24 hours. EU ambassadors are expected to give the final greenlight to release the blocked loan for Ukraine when they meet on Wednesday.

Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia have been halted since late February after drone attacks damaged the pipeline. The Kremlin said Russia was technically ready to resume oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia if Ukraine ended what Moscow called its "blackmail."

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU banned seaborne imports of Russian oil but kept land flows legal.