BRUSSELS, Feb 26 (Reuters) – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Wednesday asked the EU for a “fact-finding mission” to assess damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine, and suggested this could help unblock new EU funding to Ukraine, a letter seen by Reuters showed.
“Hungary supports the idea of a fact-finding mission with the participation of experts delegated by Hungary and Slovakia to verify the status of the Druzhba pipeline,” Orban said in a letter to European Council President Antonio Costa, seen by Reuters.
Orban said he was aware of the political difficulties caused by the delay to a massive EU loan to Ukraine. “My imitative also aims at facilitating the timeline resolution of this issue,” the letter said.
Hungary this week blocked new sanctions on Russia and the loan to Ukraine, in response to the stoppage of oil flows through Druzhba. Ukraine says the pipeline has not yet been repaired following damage by Russian strikes in late January.
(Reporting by Kate Abnett, Editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout)
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