The European Commission has announced that it plans to call an extra Oil Coordination Group meeting for February 25. This step comes after disruption to oil flows through a major pipeline that serves parts of Central Europe, EU officials said.
A spokesperson for the Commission, Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, said the meeting is being proposed to bring member states and relevant parties together to discuss the disruption and possible solutions. She made the comments during a briefing in Brussels as tensions rose over the stoppage of supplies through the Druzhba oil pipeline.
The pipeline has been blocked since late January, cutting off crude deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia. Both countries have asked the EU executive for support as they work on alternative supply routes and seek exemptions under existing sanctions rules. The Commission says it will use the coordination meeting to explore options and ensure there is no short-term risk to energy security.
Itkonen stressed that Hungary and Slovakia hold enough emergency oil stocks to cover about 90 days of demand while talks and technical work continue. The planned meeting on February 25 aims to let EU energy and trade officials, member states and experts review the situation.
Commission officials have also said they are in contact with Ukraine about the timeline for repairing the pipeline. That dialogue is meant to help Brussels understand when oil flows might resume through Druzhba.
The proposed extra meeting reflects growing concern in the EU about energy supplies and the impact of geopolitical disputes on oil infrastructure. Member states are under pressure to balance sanctions and security of supply, and the upcoming gathering is meant to help coordinate actions across the bloc.