Zelenskyy calls for EU to unblock aid package as repairs on Druzhba oil pipeline are done
發佈日期: 2026-04-22 21:45
TVB News
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia is ready to resume operations and called on the EU to unblock an aid package linked to the repairs.
The suspension of flows followed a Russian attack on the pipeline infrastructure in January.
This as NATO intercepted Russian strategic bombers and fighter jets that flew over the Baltic Sea Monday in a display of air power on the alliance's eastern flank.
In his nightly address, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy called for a 90 billion euro aid package from the European Union to be unblocked, saying "These funds had already been approved by the European Council.
There can be no grounds for blocking it anymore."
Ukraine completed repairs on the damaged oil pipeline and blamed Russia for the damage. Zelenskyy said, "repairing the pipeline was linked to freeing the funds, which had been blocked by Hungary and Slovakia."
Top EU officials are now cautiously optimistic that the massive loan scheme might be approved as soon as Wednesday, ending months of political deadlock.
Meanwhile NATO intercepted Russian strategic bombers and fighter jets over the Baltic Sea on Monday, a muscular display of air power on the alliance's eastern flank away from the spotlight on the Middle East.
Mihaita Marin, head of the Romanian Air Force detachment said: "There's a lot of traffic from the Russians and there are plenty of times in which, on purpose or not, they are not really respecting the ICAO,
the International Civil Aviation Organization rules regarding flight plans and behaviour. So obviously we are forced to take off and just make sure that they are who they say they are and their intention is peaceful
and just transitioning back to their home airfields."
French Rafale fighters were deployed from a Lithuania air base where they are stationed as part of a decades-long NATO air-policing effort.
The fighters armed with air-to-air missiles joined jets from Sweden, Finland, Poland, Denmark and Romania. They all took to the skies to inspect and keep watch on the Russian flight, the French detachment said.
The Russian Defence Ministry said the long-range bombers' flight was scheduled and occurred in airspace over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea.
