MOSCOW, March 27Due to their geographic location, it is difficult for Central European countries to refuse Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline, and it is unlikely that they will now take steps in this direction, Sergey Kaufman, an analyst at FG Finam, shared his opinion with Finam.
Ukrtransnafta intends to double the tariff for the transit of Russian oil through Druzhba through Ukraine from April 1, to 27.2 euros per ton, the Kommersant newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources. Transneft reported that the company is aware of Ukraine's intention to change tariffs, but they do not know about the parameters and terms. According to the newspaper, the increase in the tariff in Kyiv is explained by the cost of restoring infrastructure. The Ukrainian side needs to agree on the changes, first of all, with the recipients — Hungary and Slovakia, the publication clarifies.
«Due to the lack of access to the sea, it is especially difficult for consumers of Russian oil in Central Europe to refuse supplies from the Russian Federation, which is why they did not do it earlier and, most likely, will not do it now. If the geopolitical situation does not improve, then in the long term In the future, the Russian Federation will probably lose these supplies as well, but this is not a prospect for the next one or two years,» Kaufman commented.
Earlier this year, Ukraine already raised the transit tariff for Druzhba. Belarus, another country through which Russian oil transits through Druzhba, also regularly makes calls for tariff increases.
“Last November, representatives of the Republic of Belarus asked to raise the tariff by 39%, explaining this proposal by reducing the volume of pumping. However, at the moment the country cannot dictate its own terms on this issue, as a result of which the tariff is indexed to more adequate figures. For example, February 1 In 2023, it was indexed by 9%,» the source said.
The Druzhba oil pipeline originates in Almetyevsk, passes through Bryansk and then branches into two sections: the northern one (through Belarus in the direction of Poland and Germany ) and southern (through the territory of Ukraine in the direction of Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic).
Russian oil has not been pumped to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline since the beginning of 2023. Transportation to Poland was terminated at the end of February. But according to Kommersant, deliveries to the country may resume in April. Polish Orlen has submitted an application for the volumes stipulated by the contract with Tatneft (200,000 tons of oil per month) and they can be included in pumping plans for the second quarter of 2023, the newspaper writes.