Crude oil began flowing through the Druzhba pipeline into Slovakia early Thursday morning, signaling the end of a months-long transit halt that had paralyzed Central European energy supplies and stalled a multi-billion-dollar aid package for Ukraine.

The Slovak Economy Ministry confirmed that oil reception resumed at 2 a.m. local time, with supplies expected to reach Hungary later today. The restart follows a tense diplomatic standoff that began in January when Kyiv halted Russian oil deliveries through the Ukrainian section of the line, citing damage from a Russian airstrike.

The restoration of the pipeline, one of Europe’s most politically sensitive pieces of infrastructure, immediately broke a legislative deadlock in Brussels. 

Following the resumption of flows on Wednesday, Hungary lifted its veto on a €90 billion ($105.4 billion) European Union loan essential for Ukraine’s war effort.

Slovakia expects to receive 119,000 tons of oil via the route by the end of April. Despite the technical explanation provided by Kyiv, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico questioned the nature of the outage.

"The opening of the Druzhba pipeline at 2 a.m. this morning confirms that the pipeline was not damaged," Fico told reporters Thursday. He alleged the infrastructure had been used as a tool in a "geopolitical struggle," suggesting the blockage was politically motivated rather than a result of physical repairs.

While the EU has supported Ukraine’s claim that Russian forces damaged the line, Moscow has blamed Kyiv for the stoppage. Moscow has not addressed the specific allegations of damage to the infrastructure.

The incident highlights the continued reliance of Slovakia and Hungary on Russian energy, despite broader EU initiatives to decouple from Moscow’s exports following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The regional energy landscape faces further volatility as Russia confirmed it will divert Kazakh oil supplies—previously destined for Germany via the Druzhba—to other routes starting May 1. 

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak cited "technical possibilities" for the shift, while Kazakh officials suggested the disruption may be linked to Ukrainian drone strikes affecting the network.