MFA denies information on arrival of European engineers to inspect Druzhba

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine says it has no information about the arrival of European engineers to inspect the Druzhba oil pipeline.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi announced this at a briefing on March 18, Suspilne reports.

"I am not aware of any specific dates or trips agreed upon. I am also not aware of the details of this trip that appeared in the media," Tykhyi said.

He clarified that Ukraine had previously provided the European Commission with information on the estimated timeframe for repairing the damaged pipeline.

"We are in constant contact with the European Commission and partners, in particular Hungarian ones, regarding the condition of Druzhba, the damage caused and the timing of the repair," the spokesman added.

Tykhyi also noted that access to strategic facilities under martial law is regulated by the Security Service of Ukraine.

The day before, on March 17, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reported that Ukraine had agreed to the EU's proposal for financial and technical support for the repair of Druzhba. On the same day, Radio Liberty, citing sources, wrote that a small delegation of engineers had allegedly already arrived in Kyiv and was to go to the pipeline on March 18.

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he was against the resumption of oil supplies from the aggressor country through the territory of Ukraine.