Budapest gives Kiev 3 days to resume oil supply by Druzhba pipeline - Hungarian Energy Ministry

ROME. March 6 (Interfax) - The Hungarian government has given Ukraine three days to resume Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline and to admit inspectors, Hungarian Energy Ministry Secretary of State Gabor Cepek said.

"A message has been sent to the Ukrainian government, demanding that the pipeline operations be resumed within three days and inspectors be allowed to examine the Brody oil-pumping station," the RTRS television channel of Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, quoted Cepek as saying.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said earlier that there were no impediments to the resumption of oil supply by the Druzhba pipeline.

"Judging by satellite images and current information at our disposal, there are clearly no technical obstacles to the operation of the Druzhba pipeline. We urge Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky yet again to immediately resume oil supply and to give access to Hungarian and Slovak inspectors," he said.

Budapest would keep taking countermeasures until Ukraine resumed the supply, he said.

For their part, the Ukrainian authorities said it was impossible to resume the supply because of damaged infrastructure. In particular, Zelensky said on Thursday he believes that the Druzhba oil pipeline can resume operation within a month or a month and a half.

Hungary suspended diesel fuel supply to Ukraine following the halt of Russian oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia by the Druzhba pipeline, which goes through Ukraine, on January 27.