President understands but does not welcome EU decision to help repair Russia's Druzhba oil pipeline

RIGA - President Edgars Rinkevics does not welcome the European Union's (EU) decision to help repair Russia's Druzhba oil pipeline, but understands that this helps to secure the necessary funding for Ukraine and strengthen Latvia's first line of defense.

In a joint news conference with Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity), Rinkevics underlined that this decision reflects the harsh new reality of various dilemmas and no good solutions.

The president said that it is necessary to take into consideration the situation in the Middle East, Russia's ongoing attacks on Ukraine, and Ukraine's fight on the front. Rinkevics added that the peace process has virtually stopped at the moment.

"If this helps to provide Ukraine with the necessary EUR 90 billion funding and allows Ukraine to keep fighting and ensure the functioning of the state... I can understand this decision, but I cannot be happy about it," said Rinkevics.

As reported, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the EU will help restore oil flows via the damaged Druzhba pipeline.

Russian oil supplies have been cut off via the Druzhba pipeline since late January, when the pipeline was damaged in a Russian attack.

The Druzhba outage has caused political tensions in Kyiv's relations with Hungary and Slovakia, which received Russian oil through the pipeline because both countries were exempted from observing the EU sanctions regime.

Hungary has so far been blocking the EUR 90 billion EU loan to Ukraine.