A bitter dispute pitting Hungary and Slovakia against Ukraine is holding up a crucial €90bn (£77.95bn) EU loan to Ukraine.
No oil has flowed through the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia across Ukraine, since the major oil hub at Brody, in western Ukraine, was damaged in a Russian attack on 27 January.
While Ukraine argues that it will need six more weeks to repair the damage and restore the oil flow, Budapest accuses Kyiv of stalling, as revenge for Hungary's pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian position.
The dispute underlines the ability of one or two countries to block EU decision-making. It also shows Hungary and Slovakia facing fuel problems, because they have refused to follow the lead of others and wean themselves off Russian oil since 2022.
The Brody pumping station in Ukraine's western Lviv region is crucially important for the transit of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia.
Satellite images obtained by the BBC suggest that the Russian strike on 27 January damaged its key part - a huge tank used to store oil necessary to keep the pipeline pressurised and functioning.
This is the biggest oil tank in Ukraine, with a capacity of 75,000 cubic metres.
Ukrainian energy expert Henadiy Ryabtsev says damage caused to the pumping station at Brody is severe, and possibly not just limited to the oil tank. According to him, the extreme heat resulting from the fire may have also damaged other systems at Brody, such as pumps and the pipeline itself.
The government in Kyiv says the damage caused to Brody is severe and Ukraine does not have the resources to repair it more quickly. Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Heorhy Tykhy stated that Ukraine is facing a unique challenge during the ongoing war and is doing the best it can with limited resources.
In the meantime, Hungary has begun receiving non-Russian seaborne Brent crude from Norway, Saudi Arabia, and Libya through the Adria pipeline from Croatia, but faces challenges due to a lack of refining capabilities for this type of oil.
