Hungary sends team for pipeline talks denied by Ukraine

A row between Kyiv and Budapest over a pipeline carrying Russian oil appeared to deepen Wednesday when Hungary said it had dispatched a delegation for talks with Ukraine, which denied the group had any official status.

Hungary and neighbouring Slovakia accuse Kyiv of deliberately delaying reopening the Druzhba pipeline pumping Russian oil to the two landlocked states. Ukraine says the pipeline was damaged by Russian strikes in January.

Hungary’s Energy Minister Gabor Czepek said the delegation would aim to hold talks on reopening Druzhba.

The delegation, including representatives from Slovakia, would “engage in substantive dialogue”, said Czepek.

The delegation was “tasked with carrying out a fact-finding mission regarding the pipeline” to assess its condition and “create the conditions necessary for its reactivation,” he said.

Kyiv said it was aware that a group of Hungarians had crossed the border but stressed there was no plan for talks with officials.

“It’s a…