Budapest, 26 February 2026 (dpa/MIA) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has proposed sending a delegation of experts to "verify the status" of the Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine that has been at the centre of a major dispute over further EU funding for Ukraine.

Hungary and Slovakia accuse Ukraine of blocking transport of Russian oil through the pipeline and have refused to back a new package of EU sanctions on Moscow until operations are resumed.

Ukraine maintains that flow through the Druzhba pipeline, which provides Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary, was interrupted at the end of last month as a result of Russian attacks.

Hungary on Monday also vetoed new EU funding for Ukraine amounting to €90 billion ($106 billion).

"I am fully aware of the political difficulties created by the delay in the implementation of the European Council conclusions on the financial support for Ukraine," Orbán writes in the letter to European Council President António Costa dated Thursday and published by Politico.

"My initiative also aims at facilitating the timely resolution of this issue."

A spokesman for the Hungarian premier confirmed the authenticity of the letter.

Under Orbán's proposal, a "fact-finding mission" that includes experts "delegated by Hungary and Slovakia" would be sent to Ukraine to "verify the status" of the pipeline.

Hungary would accept the findings, Orbán said, though he did not explicitly say whether he might be ready to lift his veto on the funding for Ukraine.

Photo: EPA