Czech Industry Minister Karel Havlíček announced the initiative on March 18, following negotiations in Prague with Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Saková. “We offered Slovakia the possibility of using the reverse flow of the Druzhba,” Havlíček stated. “In other words, we are ready to start investing in technical measures so that oil can be supplied from the Czech Republic to Slovakia.” The agreement formalizes a previously discussed contingency plan, leveraging existing infrastructure to create a new west-to-east supply corridor.
The urgency of the project stems from a Russian drone strike on January 27, 2026, which severely damaged pipeline infrastructure near the Brody oil hub in western Ukraine. The attack halted crude oil deliveries through the southern leg of the Druzhba pipeline, a vital energy artery for both Slovakia and Hungary. While Ukraine has stated that repairs are underway, it has warned that stable, uninterrupted operations cannot be guaranteed as long as attacks on energy infrastructure continue. Slovakia and Hungary have previously accused Kyiv of delaying repairs, though Kyiv maintains that adequate time is required for safe restoration.
Slovakia’s energy situation is particularly acute due to its structural dependence on a single refinery, Slovnaft, located in Bratislava. The facility is specifically configured to process Russian-grade crude oil. Since the pipeline disruption, Slovakia has been forced to release 250,000 tonnes of crude oil from its strategic reserves. This volume represents roughly one month’s worth of operations for the Bratislava refinery and is being drawn down gradually to sustain operations until September 2026. In the interim, Slovakia and Hungary have also sourced non-Russian crude via the Adria pipeline from Croatia. The European Commission’s Oil Coordination Group has confirmed there is no immediate risk to the energy security of either country, noting that additional cargoes are already in transit to Croatian terminals.
The technical feasibility of the reverse flow relies on infrastructure that the Czech Republic no longer requires for its own imports. Prague ended its dependence on Russian supplies via the Druzhba pipeline in 2025 after expanding the TAL pipeline, which runs from Italy to Germany and feeds into a connector system. By reversing the flow in its now-idle Druzhba section, the Czech Republic can redirect Western-sourced crude eastward to Slovakia. The initial investment of up to CZK 1 billion (approximately $47 million) is projected to deliver tens of thousands of tonnes of oil per month to Slovakia in emergency mode. Over a two-to-three-year horizon, the annual capacity of the reversed flow is expected to scale up to 2-3 million tonnes.
Strategic Implications for Central Europe
Analysts view this bilateral investment as more than a short-term logistical fix. The move signals a broader regional push to build energy resilience in Central Europe, reducing structural dependence on Russian crude and diversifying supply routes in an era of wartime disruption. By utilizing existing pipeline capacity for a new purpose, the Czech and Slovak governments are attempting to decouple their energy systems from the geopolitical volatility affecting the Druzhba’s Ukrainian segment.
The financial commitment of approximately €40 million reflects the significant operational risk Slovakia faces if the Ukrainian pipeline remains offline. While the European Commission has assured that current reserves and alternative imports via Croatia are sufficient for the immediate term, the long-term reliability of the Bratislava refinery hinges on securing a consistent, non-Russian feedstock supply. The reverse flow mechanism provides that structural alternative, transforming the Druzhba from a conduit for Russian imports into a tool for regional energy security.
Work on the technical measures is set to begin following the agreement. The next critical milestone will be the commissioning of the reverse-flow pumps in the Czech section, which will determine when the first cargoes of Western crude can arrive at Bratislava. Until then, Slovakia will continue to manage its strategic reserves and rely on spot market imports via the Adria pipeline to bridge the gap.
