Zelensky denounces European “blackmail” against kyiv over the reopening of the Druzhba oil pipeline
Volodymyr Zelensky also accused his European allies of blackmail by pressing kyiv to repair the Druzhba pipeline which transports Russian oil, at the heart of a dispute between Ukraine and Hungary.
“They are forcing me to restore Druzhba” by linking this file to a European loan of 90 billion dollars, blocked by Budapest and which is used in particular to buy weapons for Ukraine, declared Mr. Zelensky. “I told our friends in Europe that this is called blackmail,” he said.
Ukraine will receive from France and “test” a new air defense system in 2026
Ukraine will receive a new SAMP/T defense system from France this year and will test it against Russian ballistic missiles as an “alternative” to the American Patriot system, the Ukrainian president said.
“We are receiving a system this year that we will test against ballistic threats,” Zelensky said. This is the “most important subject” of his discussions with Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday, he said.
