Ukraine is set to resume the shipment of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia within hours on Wednesday after completing repairs to the Druzhba pipeline, which had been damaged during a Russian attack, according to a Kyiv official who spoke to AFP.

The pipeline has remained a focal point of tensions involving Hungary and Slovakia, both of which continue to rely on Russian oil transported through the route, as well as Ukraine and the European Union. The disruption had further complicated ongoing negotiations tied to financial support for Kyiv from Brussels.

Ukrainian authorities expressed optimism that the restoration of oil transit would help remove a key obstacle to unlocking tens of billions of euros in support from the European Union. The funding had been delayed due to opposition from Hungary’s outgoing nationalist leader, Viktor Orban, who had used the situation as leverage in negotiations.

Following confirmation from Ukraine that repairs on the pipeline had been completed, Hungary’s energy company, MOL, moved to request the shipment of approximately 100,000 tonnes of oil through the pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia, according to the Ukrainian official.

Transit of oil through the Druzhba pipeline was scheduled to resume at about 1100 GMT. However, the official suggested the process could begin earlier, stating, “I think they’ll start it earlier, within a few hours,” while speaking on condition of anonymity.

The delay in resuming oil flows had been a sticking point in broader geopolitical and economic discussions. Viktor Orban had blocked a crucial loan package worth 90 billion euros, equivalent to about $105 billion, intended for Ukraine, using the disruption as leverage while accusing Kyiv of deliberately stalling repair efforts.

However, Orban’s recent electoral defeat earlier this month has been widely interpreted as a development that could pave the way for the release of the long-delayed financial support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently voiced his opposition to continued purchases of Russian oil and gas by some European Union member states, arguing that such transactions remain a major source of revenue for Moscow as it continues its invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth year.

Speaking to reporters in Luxembourg on Tuesday after Ukraine announced the completion of repairs, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed optimism that an agreement on the stalled loan package was imminent.

“We expect an agreement in 24 hours. So I don’t want to jinx it. I hope that everything goes well… Hopefully all the obstacles are removed,” Kallas said.